Florida is home to an estimated 1.3 million alligators but there are also an estimated 1,000+ saltwater crocodiles that call Florida home as well. One of those crocs recently had to be chased off by wildlife officers in the Florida Keys after making itself home in a swimming pool in Key Largo.
The Florida Keys Sheriff shared photos and videos on Instagram and Facebook of the operation to remove the rare Florida crocodile from the pool.
It has already been misidentified as an alligator by some media outlets and even by one of the officers in the Instagram video who mistakenly refers to it as a gator at the end of the video. They are, after all, remarkably close in appearance but the snout and coloration of this specimen is clearly a Florida crocodile. Here’s video of the rare Florida crocodile being chased off:
Imagine being the officer on duty tasked with removing a massive saltwater crocodile from a swimming pool. Then imagine the only item they give you to protect yourself from the enormous dinosaur is a shovel….
Ultimately, this was a successful operation. The huge croc was scurried off to the nearby canal and back into the saltwater.
This should serve as a helpful reminder though to anyone that visits the Florida Keys there are crocodiles roaming around. It’s not just gators like much of Florida. Though crocs are rare in Florida, they can be found in South Florida throughout Miami, the Keys, and the Everglades National Park. It is important to always keep your head on a swivel whenever near freshwater OR saltwater in Florida because you never know what may be lurking in the dark… Like this:
Is Florida the Australia of the United States? Some people are saying it is… That video certainly seems to suggest so.