Wild video captured the moment police officers in Florida wrangled a huge alligator on a neighborhood intersection early Wednesday morning (March 29). Body camera footage obtained by WFLA shows Tampa police officers surrounding the creature at North Howard Avenue & West Kathleen Street shortly after 1 a.m., according to the news station.
The upset gator hisses, snaps, and even whips its tail about as cops try to get close to it. Eventually, two officers manage to hold down the reptile while a third one wraps duct tape around its mouth. The video cuts again to four officers loading the subdued alligator into the back of a trapper's vehicle.
Phil Walters, an FWC-contracted trapper who was called to the scene, said the scaly beast was nine feet and four inches long. He was also surprised officers did a "great job" restraining the gator.
“Normally, TPD doesn’t get down and dirty," he told reporters, adding that Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office's agricultural unit usually handles rogue animals. "I was really surprised and happy when I just showed up and saw they were putting me out of a job."
Wildlife experts say the unusually warm temperatures have the alligators coming out early for food and love. That means Floridians and tourists can expect to see their wild neighbors roaming about more often.
“This is the time of year you find them underneath cars. They show up at your front door. They’re moving around," Walters said.