Alligator waddles across Tampa road, stopping morning traffic

TAMPA, Fla. - It's gator mating season, and the reptile residents of Florida have been strutting their stuff for months now – including across Tampa roadways.

Thursday morning, Tampa police officers were on standby, stopping traffic at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and North MacDill Avenue. 

In video captured by a FOX 13 photographer, one officer was seen with a trapping tool, following an alligator as it crosses the street.

The reptile quickly waddled its way to a lake on the other side of the road.

READ: Sarasota deputies help wrangle 3 alligators in one spot

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, alligators become more active with the start of mating season, which begins in April. Mating usually happens in May and June. Females typically form nests in August and September, where they will then lay on average between 30 and 50 eggs in late June or early July. Hatching takes place August through September.

RELATED: Florida alligators on the move as mating season begins

While giving an alligator its distance is important year-round, it's especially important during mating season. FWC is reminding folks to only swim in designated areas during daylight hours and keep pets away from fresh or brackish water.