Flood-displaced alligator takes over Florida parking spot and thrashes as deputies try to move it

Moving a large reptile to safety became a tense task for Florida police. Flooding had displaced the animal, which appeared to take refuge in a parking area.

Here's what to know

An alligator sighting brought Indian River County Sheriff's Office deputies to a residential building in late October, according to FOX Weather.

Body-camera footage captured the encounter in the building's parking garage, from the deputies' initial approach with snare poles to the animal's release near a marsh.

More background

A lunge from the alligator drove one deputy back several steps after he secured a snare around its head. The animal, which had already begun hissing loudly when the two deputies approached, also thrashed and swung its tail.

The alligator's response to being approached and restrained illustrates why wild animals sometimes attack humans. Its predicament also highlights how worsening extreme weather like floods can push humans and wildlife into closer contact, increasing the risk of dangerous encounters. 

What's being done?

The sheriff's office reported that the alligator was uninjured and had been relocated to a more suitable area near a marsh elsewhere in the county, according to FOX Weather.

Before the struggle to move the alligator, the responding deputies commented on its size in remarks captured by their body cameras.

"He's a big guy," one could be heard saying. "He's all of about 6-7 feet."

Where can I learn more?

Elsewhere in Florida, alligators have turned up near homes and schools, while flooding has driven snakes into neighborhoods: 

• Manatee County deputies left an 8-foot backyard alligator to a trapper after underestimating its size.

• In Coconut Creek, police relocated a 10-foot alligator found near a high school.

• South Florida floods drove snakes into homes and yards as trapper calls tripled.

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