9 surprising alligator encounters in Florida revealed

What happens when a gator shows up in the neighborhood? Sometimes chaos.

Take the nine-foot alligator lurking near dog walkers or another taking refuge in a storm drain. Then there was the gator disrupting a pizza delivery and another forcing its way into a couple's dining room.

Take a look at nine encounters.

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.

An alligator trapper wrangled a gator that crept into a Jacksonville fire station, a video shows.

NO. 1: GATOR SNAPS AT BAREFOOT MMA FIGHTER CHASING IT THROUGH FLORIDA FIRE STATION, VIDEO SHOWS

“Barefoot brawler.” | Published July 17, 2024 | Read Full Story by Olivia Lloyd

Alligators are native to coastal North Carolina, and are a protected game species. Only people with permits can harvest them.

NO. 2: ALLIGATOR ATTACKS WOMAN WALKING HER DOG, FLORIDA OFFICIALS SAY. TRAPPER CATCHES IT

Neighbors heard screams, news outlets report. | Published September 6, 2024 | Read Full Story by Mark Price

One Lee County deputy had the risky job of holding the alligator’s snout as it was put into a truck, video shows.

NO. 3: ALLIGATOR SHOWS UP AT FLORIDA FAMILY’S DOOR AND WON’T LEAVE. ‘HE’S JUST LOOKING AT ME’

Video shows one deputy got stuck holding the snout. | Published September 12, 2024 | Read Full Story by Mark Price

An alligator got a feathery escort from an unlikely friend, a Florida video showed.

NO. 4: 9-FOOT ALLIGATOR WAS SEEN ‘STALKING DOG WALKERS’ IN FLORIDA. SEE DEPUTIES WRANGLE IT

The creature was “too close for comfort.” | Published September 20, 2024 | Read Full Story by Simone Jasper

This 8-foot alligator showed up at a man’s doorstep in Lakeland, Florida, as Hurricane Helene edged closer to the state’s Gulf Coast.

NO. 5: 8-FOOT GATOR SEEKS SHELTER ON MAN’S DOORSTEP AS HURRICANE NEARS FLORIDA, SHERIFF SAYS

It happened around 10:45 p.m., officials say. | Published September 26, 2024 | Read Full Story by Mark Price

A Florida panther was found fatally struck by a vehicle in Collier County on Oct. 27, according to the FWC’s Panther Pulse.

NO. 6: RARE, ELUSIVE PREDATOR — YOUNGER THAN 2 YEARS OLD — FOUND KILLED BY VEHICLE IN FLORIDA

It’s the 26th death for the endangered species this year. | Published October 30, 2024 | Read Full Story by Olivia Lloyd

This large snout sticking out of a Florida storm drain was connected to a 10-foot, 6-inch alligator, according to the Cape Coral Fire Department.

NO. 7: 10-FOOT PREDATOR LURKING UNDER YARD GETS STUCK IN STORM DRAIN IN FLORIDA, PHOTOS SHOW

A passerby heard it struggling. | Published January 20, 2025 | Read Full Story by Mark Price

The discovery was made Sunday, March 9, in the Lee County city of Fort Myers, and the state sent “a contracted nuisance alligator trapper” to wrangle it back out the door.

NO. 8: LARGE ALLIGATOR SLIPS INTO FLORIDA HOME AND TAKES OVER THE DINING ROOM, VIDEO SHOWS

The alligator was hauled alive to a farm, officials said. | Published March 12, 2025 | Read Full Story by Mark Price

A woman trying to deliver a pizza reacts when a Bradenton Police officer tells her not to go to the house because an 8-foot alligator was in the driveway.

NO. 9: ‘WHERE’S MY PIZZA?’ 8-FOOT ALLIGATOR DISRUPTS DELIVERY IN FLORIDA. WATCH THE VIDEO

“I’m a little scared,” the pizza delivery driver said. | Published March 13, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jason Dill

This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists in our News division.