In Florida, a normal round of golf can deliver much more than bunkers and water.
Here's what to know
A social media video captured at St. Johns Golf Club near St. Augustine showed a huge alligator crossing a fairway with a flock of turkeys following behind it, according to Golfweek. Golfers were left with little to do but gawk at the unexpected hazard.
Even in Florida, where golfers are warned to watch for gators, the encounter stood out as remarkable.
The video showed the reptile moving across the fairway while the birds trailed behind it like a security escort.
Gators are common in Florida. With a state population of roughly 1.3 million of these massive reptiles, gators can be found in every county in the state, according to the University of Florida.
The situation reminded us how often human spaces and wildlife habitats overlap. Human-wildlife encounters have increased as people have increasingly moved into natural habitats.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Reporting on why wild animals attack humans has examined how human expansion and human behavior can increase the odds of close encounters. It has also explored what steps people can take to make human-wildlife encounters safer for everyone involved.
In Florida, this can mean golfers giving a gator and its feathered entourage plenty of time and space as they cross the fairway.
What can be done?
Experts say that, to lower the chances that a human-wildlife encounter becomes dangerous, it is important to keep a safe distance and avoid treating wild animals like an amusement-park attraction. Feeding, approaching, or trying to film too closely can turn an otherwise manageable encounter into a more threatening situation for both people and animals.
Golf courses in alligator-prone areas can help keep golfers safe by posting clear warning signs, training staff on wildlife protocols, and reminding players to report sightings instead of engaging with animals.
On a larger scale, better planning around human developments can help reduce conflict. For example, preserving natural habitat and wildlife corridors gives animals more room to move without cutting directly through heavily used human spaces.
Where can I learn more?
This fairway sighting is just one of many strange alligator encounters caught around Florida. These stories follow giant gators on golf courses, near a 7-Eleven, and in tourist-heavy parts of the state.
• On another Florida course, Gary, the local celebrity, lumbered across the grass as golfers watched.
• At a Florida golf course, a sandhill crane confronted an alligator and steered it pondward.
• In Venice, Florida, a 10-foot alligator turned up outside a 7-Eleven again.
• In the Everglades, a filmed turnabout showed an alligator eating an invasive python.
• At a national park, tourists moved dangerously close to an alligator with children nearby.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
