A gator between 7 and 8 feet long was found in a family’s backyard swimming pool on Memorial Day, and it put up a fight as a trapper removed the reptile from the pool.
It’s not clear how the alligator found itself in the pool at the family’s Sarasota County, according to ABC News.
As a trapper was removing it from the water, the gator broke out into a "death roll," as it’s seen in the viral video rolling over repeatedly in an attempt to escape the trap. A video of the encounter posted online has gone viral.
"Luckily, these homeowners took a second look this morning before jumping in to kick off their Memorial Day," the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office wrote on Facebook.
The Sheriff’s Office is now warning Floridians to "look before you leap" just in case an alligator is lurking at the bottom of a pool, according to CBS News.
"Clearly this was a chlorine-filled pool, which is a reminder to people, especially Floridians, that they could be in just about any body of water," Kaitlyn Perez, public information officer for the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, told CBS News. "Nothing surprises us anymore."
"Let this be a reminder that it’s mating season in Florida and these creatures, especially the females, are on the move looking for areas to lay eggs," Perez added. "With that said, it’s probably safe to assume that any body of water, regardless of what kind, may be enticing to this kind of reptile."
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