Watch How Quickly This Alligator Shoots Out of the Water to Chase a Man

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When fishing, one might expect to catch fish. Sounds plausible, right? Well, for one fisherman, he got a little bit more than he bargained for when he went fishing one afternoon. 

This short YouTube clip shown below takes us to Hilton Head, South Carolina. A man is fishing in a small pond that looks to be on the edge of either a golf course or a suburban neighborhood. A woman near the man is also seen filming this interaction about to take place.

As the man is standing on the edge of this pond fishing, he starts to notice something large swimming towards him. It’s not long before he realizes that it is an alligator. In order to not spook the alligator, we see the fisherman slowly start to back up. Only this doesn’t stop the alligator!

The alligator starts to press forward and climb up on the bank! At this point, the woman next to the fisherman who is filming almost comically runs away as she realizes this situation just became very real. 

We are left on the video at the end, seeing the fisherman actually running away because the alligator is chasing him! The alligator seemingly said, “Not today, sir. And not on my turf.” 

What is an Alligator vs. a Crocodile?

Perhaps the most common question asked when it comes to either alligators or crocodiles is, what is the difference between them? Perhaps the most notable difference of them all is in their size. Can you guess which is bigger before we dive into that?

The American alligator weighs anywhere from 181-363 kilograms (400-800 pounds) and reaches lengths of 2.5 centimeters – 4.5 meters (8-15 feet) long. 

The American crocodile weighs anywhere from 18-1,000 kilograms (40-2,200 pounds) and reaches lengths of 1.7-7 meters (5.5-23 feet) long. 

As we can see, the American crocodile is significantly larger than the American alligator. 

Now, you might say, “That’s all well and fine if they are right next to each other. But what if they aren’t? How can I tell?”  

And we would say that’s a great question! The second best way to tell apart the alligator vs. the crocodile is in their nose. The distinct difference between their snouts is that the American alligator will have a U-shaped snout. In contrast, the American crocodile will have a V-shaped snout. 

Is it Normal for Alligators to Attack Humans?

The American alligator ranges from the Rio Grande River in Texas across the southeast and as far north as North Carolina. They are particularly numerous in Louisiana and Florida – but are also common in South Carolina. Alligators are usually afraid of people but they do attack humans on occasion. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, there have been 401 unprovoked alligator attacks on humans in the state between 1948 and 2019. Only 25 of these attacks were fatal – indicating that alligator attacks on people are not common.

Most of these attacks were a result of the alligator feeling threatened and attacking in self-defense rather than seeking people as food. However, humans swimming in areas known to be alligator habitats are setting themselves up to be prey.

To avoid being attacked by an alligator you should never swim or wade in waters where alligators may be present – especially after dusk. Never feed alligators to avoid them associating people with food – and never throw garbage into the water. Children and pets should kept away from any area where gators may be present.