Watch alligator race across Florida woman’s backyard. ‘Never saw one run before!’
A young Florida alligator is getting a lot of attention on social media for doing something gators aren’t known to do: Running.
Video of the moment was posted June 8 on the Alligators of Florida Facebook page, and it shows the 3- to 4-foot alligator raced 20-plus feet in just under 6 seconds.
And it did so with its head raised and tail snapping back and forth.
Joyce DeGregorio of Interlachen says she recorded the video Tuesday, June 7, in her back yard along the 345-acre Lake Grandin. Interlachen is in Putnam County, about 65 miles southwest of Jacksonville.
It was the second time that day the alligator had come into her yard, she told McClatchy News.
“I was not shocked to see a gator, as there are plenty of them in the lake. But I was shocked to see it come up so far into the yard. They like to hang out in the cove and underneath our dock,” DeGregorio said.
“It noticed me watching him for a few minutes (from) about 50 feet away. Then I stepped closer and must have spooked him and he ran. ... I have never ever seen a gator run like that. It was cool to witness that! They’re usually just gliding in the water.”
Her video has gotten hundreds of reactions from the Facebook group’s 57,500 members, with many marveling at the gator’s speed and how it closely resembled an otter.
“Never saw one run before!” Kathy Mullen wrote.
“I’ll take bears in Colorado, thank you very much. They may be bigger than most gators, but at least you can see them from further away,” Larry Parker posted.
So how fast do alligators run?
Despite a reputation for being lumbering, the predators can match the speed of deer, coyote or even grizzly bears, experts say.
“Observing an alligator seems like watching a statue,” the National Park Service reports.
“They (lie) still for hours moving only to (breathe) and blink, and then when spotting prey, suddenly lunge forward at speeds in excess of 30 miles per hour.”
But they can’t keep it up long, according to Experience Kissimmee Florida.
“They are known to tire quickly,” the site reports. “In the water, an alligator can reach a top speed of 20 mph. ... They also have a lot more stamina in the water, which means you should never challenge one to a race.”
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