We’ve all heard our fair share of interesting Florida stories. It seems like every day, a new story comes out of Florida that is almost unimaginable. Given the state’s alligator population, these animals are often included in dramatic stories. A recent video shows eight Florida deputies working together to ‘apprehend’ a 600-pound alligator! Read here to learn more about this crazy story.
American Alligator going for a stroll through the grass in the bright morning sunlight at Pinckney Island.
©Chris Klonowski/Shutterstock.com
Apprehending an Alligator
Florida is home to some interesting news stories, but nothing beats this one. In the video linked above, eight Florida deputies work together to remove an alligator from the roadway. This apprehension took place on December 2 in Sarasota County, Florida. Transporting this heavy load is definitely not a routine job for the deputies and is not for the faint of heart. An officer is heard asking everyone to “get out of the way.” Although it was a dangerous and difficult task to manage, the officers completed it safely and kept the alligator out of harm’s way.
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office made light of the stressful encounter on their Facebook page, asking viewers, “How many deputies does it take to evict a 14-foot gator?” They went on to state that they had other ideas for the alligator’s holiday plans. After being loaded into the truck, the alligator was placed in the custody of an alligator farmer. Thankfully, there’s a happy ending for everyone involved!
How Large Do Alligators Get?
Unsurprisingly, alligators are large reptiles, with most American alligators averaging around 10 to 11 feet for males, and eight to nine feet for females. While females often weigh around 200 pounds, it is not uncommon for males to exceed 500 pounds, like in the video above! In Florida, the record for the largest alligator was 14 feet long and a whopping 1,043 pounds! However, the alligator in the video above is incredibly large, and not something you see every day. For comparison, the alligator at 600 pounds weighs more than a grand piano, commercial-size freezers, and bulky motorcycles! No wonder eight deputies were needed; imagine trying to lift any of those on your own.
