Alligator mating season is in full swing in Florida, so residents need to be wary. You never know where one of those love-seeking reptiles might show up.

>> Read more trending news

A family in Fort Myers knows that firsthand. They were awakened at 2 a.m. Friday to the sound of an alligator breaking into and entering their home, the Fort Myers News-Press reported.

The 8-foot alligator ripped through the screen in the home’s lanai area and was perched on the back porch of the home, according to the Fort Myers Police Department.

Officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission captured the gator and will relocate it, the News-Press reported.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Ernie Suggs, a reporter at the AJC since 1997, reviews a selection of articles he has contributed to during his time with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, as of Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Featured

University of Georgia students are seen entering and leaving the main Library on the Athens campus on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez