Here's what to do if an alligator is in your yard, pool or neighborhood. No, you can't shoot it

If you live in Florida, you likely know you have to coexist with alligators. So long as you keep your distance and never feed one if it crosses your path, you should be fine.

But there are some risks to be aware of, especially if you’re planning on swimming in a lake or owning a home (even if the closest body of water is a retention pond).

And it’s almost mating season for the tens of thousands of gators that live throughout the state, which means a higher probability for gators turning up in unwanted places, like yards, pools and golf courses.

Alligator mating season lasts from April through June. During this time, male gators become more combative and have a wider range of travel. Throughout the mating season, they can roam over 1,000 acres of land and tend to become more aggressive.

Dominant males typically kick out the weaker male gators during mating season, which is one of the reasons Floridians see more gators in their yards, retention ponds and pools during the summer months.

If you have a gator in your yard or pool, don't freak out. These dinosaurs can be found in every Florida county and you can usually call FWC to remove them.

Here’s what you should do if there’s a gator in your yard and what to do if you have to run or swim away from one.

What to do if a gator is in your yard

Removing a gator from your yard isn't the same as calling a private critter control service or your community's animal control. You have to call the state.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program with a gator hotline. If there is a gator in your yard or pool, call the free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).

The Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) will issue a permit to one of its contracted nuisance alligator trappers, authorizing the removal of the gator.

What is considered a nuisance alligator?

An alligator is deemed a nuisance if it:

• Is at least 4 feet long.

• If the caller believes it poses a threat to people, pets or property.

• If it is smaller than 4 feet and winds up in places that are not acceptable, like swimming pools or garages, and must be removed.

How much does it cost to get an alligator out of your pool?

The state pays its contracted nuisance alligator trappers for each job they are called out to. Calling SNAP's toll-free number and having a trapper come to your home won’t cost you anything.

How do I keep alligators out of my pool in Florida?

The best way to keep roaming alligators from cooling off in your pool this summer is to get an enclosure for the area around your pool. If you think a chain link fence around your backyard is good enough, think again. Alligators can climb fences.

If you already have a screened-in pool deck, check for any holes or weak points that might need to be repaired before the summer. Making sure you properly maintain your pool enclosure can also help keep snakes, iguana and bugs away from your pool deck this summer.

What should you do if you encounter an alligator in the water?

Though Florida residents have learned to coexist with alligators, the potential for conflict always exists, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The wildlife commission recommends people avoid feeding alligators and to keep your distance if you see one. "Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours. And keep pets on a leash and away from the water," FWC's site states.

If you're already swimming and see an alligator while you're in the water, calmly swim in the other direction and get out of the water. Don't splash around, this will attract the alligator.

According to the FWC, "If an alligator bites you, the best thing to do is fight back, providing as much noise and resistance as possible. Hitting or kicking the alligator or poking it in its eyes may cause it to release its grip. When alligators seize prey they cannot easily overpower, they will often let go and retreat."

You can also trigger a gator's gag reflex by shoving objects into the back of its mouth, if you have to. If it gags and tries to reposition its grip on you, that's your window to make an escape.

Serious injuries caused by alligators are rare here, but if you are concerned about a gator, call the nuisance alligator hot line at 866-392-4286 or visit myfwc.com.

Should you run in zig zags from an alligator?

Most native Floridians learn as early as preschool to run away in a zig-zag line if a gator crosses their path, but this has actually been debunked.

Gators can run fast on land, but only for short distances before they get tired. Simply run away in a straight line.

If you find yourself tempted to take a night swim in a lake, river, pond or any natural body of freshwater, just don't. If the sun is down, the gators are out.

Can you shoot an alligator in your yard in Florida?

Don't try to "take care" of any gators yourself. If you don't have a permit to hunt gators, you can't shoot one.

And, depending on where you live, you may be breaking other local laws if you even fire a gun.

Under Florida law, it's a third-degree felony to "intentionally kill, injure, possess or capture, or attempt to kill, injure, possess or capture an alligator or other crocodilian, or the eggs of an alligator or other crocodilian, unless authorized by rules of the commission."

The Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program trappers relocate gators under 4 feet long and kill nuisance gators that are longer than 4 feet.

"Relocated alligators often try to return to their capture site," according to the SNAP website.

"They can create problems for people or other alligators along the way. If an alligator successfully returns, capturing it again would be necessary and likely more difficult the second time."

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Alligator in your yard or pool? Here's what to do, who to call