Monstrous 9-Foot Alligator Removed Near Florida Elementary School

Eve Vawter
·2 min read
3

Parents worry about lots of things when they drop their kids off at school. Whether they did their homework, if they remembered to bring in a signed permission slip, if they have any library books due.

One thing no parent wants to worry about is their kids encountering a 9-foot-alligator at their elementary school, which is why it's great that the Florida Fire and Wildlife Conservation Commission relocated a huge alligator that was hanging out across from Seven Oaks Elementary School in Tampa.

WFLA reports, "The video shows the aggressive animal flinging and attacking a trapper, as he was trying to constrain the gator. The alligator almost got loose after he shook his body back and forth, causing the man to fall onto his back.

The FWC said they captured and removed the gator."

Related: Huge Alligator Crossing South Carolina Street Stops Tourists in Their Tracks

I'm all for kids seeing wild animals because I think kids who are exposed to animals grow up to have empathy towards animals, but you know, at a zoo or something, not when they are leaving their school. I guess a kid could now use the old "an alligator ate my homework" excuse.

It seems like we are seeing more and more instances of alligator attacks in the news lately, and if I lived in Florida and by any body of water I'd be worried about walking my dog! Alligators are such amazingly cool animals but I'd still not enjoy encountering one while doing my day to day errands.

How To Survive an Alligator Attack

Alligators usually leave people alone, but sometimes they can be attracted to people when they are walking dogs, which just look like prey to alligators.

If you do see an alligator coming towards you, the first step you should take is to run. Run in a straight line as far and fast from the gator as possible. Don't try to run in a zig-zag pattern, as that'll just take you longer to go farther.

If the alligator actually gets you in its mouth, don't try to pry its jaws open! They have a bite force of 3,000 pounds.

You should smack the gator's sensitive snout, and also try to gouge the gator's eyes.

And try not to walk you dog near ponds or lakes!

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