'Didn't know they were that strong': 'Superman' alligator tears through aluminum bars at Florida golf club
FLORIDA: In a horrifying moment captured on camera, a massive alligator easily tore through a recently installed metal fence at a Florida golf club. The incident, which was caught on camera earlier this week, occurred just a few weeks after an 85-year-old woman was killed by an alligator in the Sunshine State.
The video was uploaded by a local meteorologist from Placida, a village on the Gulf Coast, and it has received over a million views on Facebook and 50,000 likes on Instagram. "Check out this big guy bend the aluminum bars and plow right through it this week in Placida," Matt Devitt said in his caption.
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Can alligators bend metal fences?
Speaking to Fox 35, Matt Devitt said that aluminum is a lightweight metal, which explains how the large gator was able to get through the barrier so quickly. However, much flimsier materials are also used to construct porch partitions meant to keep the reptiles out of people's yards, arousing concerns about what might occur if this gator encountered such a barrier.
'Who knew Superman was an alligator!'
Although Florida alligators are known to move around more during the spring and have been observed in the past scaling fences, this particular alligator was looking for a more direct path. As seen in the video, the alligator completely pushed his way through to the other side. People who watched the terrifying video were quick to react. A user commented, "He knows what his doing...he did it before..." Another said, 'OMG - didn't know they were that strong." One user hilariously reacted, "He’s got a career as a fence product tester ahead of him." "I thought he was going to scale the fence," wrote another. Another user penned, "I never thought they would be stopped by my screens in windows and lanai!" One wrote, "Omg I 100% thought it was going to climb over!!!" Another joked, "Who knew Superman was an alligator!"
In a different incident that happened in 2019, officials were forced to euthanize an 11-foot (3.3 meters) alligator that got into a Miami home's backyard through a chain-link fence. Firefighters, police, and representatives of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reportedly made initial attempts to secure the 600-pound (272 kilograms) reptile, reports The Miami Herald. However, the gator preferred to take its own course. At times, he would get up, begin to move, and then return to lying down. Fire rescue alerted the residents of the neighborhood.
The state of Florida is home to about 1.3 million alligators, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife. An alligator is typically deemed a hazard if it is at least 4 feet long and considered to be a danger to humans, animals, or property. Call the Nuisance Alligator Helpline at 866-FWC-GATOR if you are worried about one.