Nation & World News

Giant gator hangs out at Florida man's front door

By Chelsea Todaro
June 6, 2015

Talk about a surprise visit.

An eight-foot alligator was found at the front door of an apartment complex in Southwest Miami-Dade, Fla., on Wednesday, NBC Miami reports.

The owner of the home, Fernando Belmonte-Zbinden, said he spotted the giant gator leaning his head against the door when he went to walk his dog. His initial reaction to the special guest was not fear, but excitement.

“I went back inside, got my camera and started snapping away, photographs and video,” Belmonte-Zbinden told NBC Miami.

He said even the neighbors were fascinated to see the reptile as it started wandering from door to door.

“Everyone was psyched to see it … there were about 30 people out there,” Belmonte-Zbiden said to NBC Miami. “It wasn’t aggressive and didn’t mind people being around.”

The docile gator is thought to have traveled from a canal located across the Emerald Palms apartment complex, but Belmonte-Zbinden said he came across the same reptile last year.

“At the time it was six and a half feet … it wasn’t as big,” he said to NBC Miami. “It was the same alligator because it was missing the same three scales on its tail.”

The gator was captured and taken away by a trapper.

Read the full story at nbcmiami.com

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Chelsea Todaro

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