“Absolute dinosaur” alligator found on path kids take to school: sheriff

An “absolute dinosaur” of an alligator was seen on a path frequented by students to get to and from school in southwest Florida this week, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said.

In a post on Instagram on Wednesday, the sheriff’s office said a citizen called deputies on Tuesday alerting them of a “large gator” seen on a path used by kids to walk to and from school. The pathway is along Joe’s Creek near 46th Avenue, deputies said in their post.

“We arrived to find a 12.5 foot gator and promptly called MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife for their assistance in relocation,” the post said. “PCSO remained in the area to keep the public from accidentally stumbling across this absolute dinosaur of an alligator until trappers contracted through FWC arrived.”

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office also noted in their post that the contracted trappers “safely relocated” the alligator somewhere in South Florida and deputies also helped with the “control and capture” of the alligator.

The sheriff’s office also quipped in the video posted to Instagram that deputies “even used newfound alligator whispering skills” to help keep the alligator close by.

The Florida Sheriff’s Association reacted to the video also posted on the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office’s X, formerly Twitter, account with two seemingly shocked emoji faces on Wednesday.

FOX13 reporter Genevieve Curtis also said on X on Thursday, “WOW 👀It’s wild to me that I live in an area where these guys just casually stroll.🐊 this big gator was near Joe’s Creek in St. Pete.”

Newsweek has reached out to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Saturday night via email for additional comment.

Meanwhile, a farm worker in a different part of the Sunshine State was attacked this week by an “agitated” alligator. In a post on Facebook on Wednesday, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office said, “One didn’t see the other, until it was too late. But fortunately for the local pepper farm worker, the bite taken out of his leg by an angry gator is not life threatening. The experience however, is a different story.”

The sheriff’s office continued: “The worker was clearly focused on his farm work when an agitated gator lurking in the field along 96th Street in Palm City lunged and grabbed hold of the man. The gator grabbed the side of the workers thigh causing a significant injury with puncture wounds. The victim did break free and was able to get away.”

The alligator was over nine feet long, deputies said, and was removed from the area of the attack. The farm worker was also transported to the hospital.