A 22-year-old man was casting a line in the Florida wetlands and enjoying a nice day by the water. While waiting for something to bite the hook in the water, he was visited by an unexpected local. Thanks to his keen eyesight, this fisherman was able to spot an alligator surfacing as it headed toward shore. While alligators are normally found in water, it’s not their preferred place to be. It’s not uncommon to find them sunbathing on a grassy knoll or enjoying the shade of a bustling bush. Because of their inherent fear of people, alligators typically start to flee as soon as they come close to them. Back away carefully if an alligator approaches you from a few yards away. Wild alligators rarely pursue humans, yet they are capable of sprinting up to 35 miles per hour across short distances on land. Unfortunately for this fisherman, he was part of the small percent that gets chased. The gator quickly gets on land and it appears the angler runs backward away from the apex predator. At one point in the footage, it looks like he takes a fall.
Face-off for Dominance
The man and beast seem to have a staring contest for a moment. At one point, the fisherman even attempts to walk toward the animal. Many people are taught that you should run in a zig-zag formation when fleeing from a gator. Whether it was zigzagging or not, the average person could easily outrun an alligator. More significantly, the alligator does not use a long sprint to advance on prey. In the water, the alligator prefers to ambush its victim covertly. “It’s rare that an alligator will come out of the water and go after a human being,” Ron Magill, a wildlife expert and communications director at Zoo Miami, said on Good Morning America. “They usually nest close to the water. If you get near a nest, a female will come after you. Females are very protective.” The interesting thing about this particular interaction is that neither party gives up at first. The man runs away and then walks back to the animal, as the gator starts walking closer to the human. Eventually, the threatening alligator turns around and is hidden once again in the watery landscape. For all we know, he could be in the water or waiting in the grass along the walking path. Either way, the man has had enough and calls it a day!
Is This Normal Behavior?
It is rare for alligators to attack humans on land. According to the Florida Conservation Commission, alligator bites average 6 a year. Alligators have a natural fear of humans, so they will usually flee the presence of humans. Alligators are opportunistic feeders, which means they will prey on what is convenient for them. Many alligator bites are due to humans being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Alligators are more active at dusk and dawn, so it is best for humans and pets to avoid their habitats then. If one does encounter an alligator from several yards away, it is best to back away slowly. If the gator sees you, run away as fast as you can in a straight line.
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