iStockphoto / LagunaticPhoto
A massive alligator as spotted crossing a fairway at a golf course near Rotonda West, Florida, just a hop, skip, and a jump south of me. And there must be something in the air because I was just driving through some backroads in LWR and saw an 8-footer sitting on the side of a pond, but it’s early for alligator mating season as that typically starts in mid-to-late April at the earliest but mostly takes place in May to June.
Before I get too sidetracked, let’s check this gargantuan living dinosaur out. This alligator knows it’s in charge. Look at the swagger this Florida King has as it strolls across the grass, keenly aware that there’s an approaching golf cart but isn’t bothered at all by it.
The video was shared by Matt Devitt of WINK News in Ft. Myers who has become sort of our ‘Rex Chapman of Florida videos’ in recent years. He’s quick to post any viral Florida clip from WINK News viewers who often remain anonymous.
Welcome to Jurassic Park. Massive Florida gator spotted Monday at this golf course in Rotonda from a @WINKNews viewer. I’d let him play through. 🐊👀 pic.twitter.com/jX4wRzHqq1
— Matt Devitt (@MattDevittWX) March 27, 2024
Two of my colleagues at BroBible saw this video and called it ‘Floristralia’ content, with neither realizing they both came to the same conclusion (that Florida is basically Australia). But as a born-and-raised Floridian, I’d say that Florida is more akin to Jurassic Park than Australia.
I say that we’re more like Jurassic Park here in Florida because we’ve got 500-pound mating balls of invasive Burmese pythons… There are great white sharks feeding on whale carcasses in the Gulf… Massive spotted eagle rays are leaping from the water and getting stuck on bridges… Alligators are biting people’s hands off… And that’s just this month. All of that happened so far in March.