Gator captured on the Selmon Expressway

TAMPA, Fla. - An alligator may have been trying to beat rush hour traffic on Monday when it was spotted on the Selmon Expressway in Tampa.

In a social media post, the Florida Highway Patrol stated that a trooper and a trapper found the 9-foot-gator on the highway and saved it.

An image posted on X shows the pair posing with the gator, which had its snout taped shut.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, gator mating season is right around the corner. FWC officials say alligators begin courting each other in April and mate in May and June.

Gators can sometimes become aggressive during mating season and may be found outside their typical stomping ground.

READ: Temple Terrace’s ‘Coca-Cola’ gator moved to a new home

However, FWC says the chances of being seriously injured by Florida’s state reptile in an unprovoked attack are relatively low at one in 3.1 million.

FWC tips to stay safe around alligators

• If you encounter an alligator that is believed to pose a threat to people, pets, or property, call the FWC’s Nuisance Alligator Hotline, toll‐free at 1‐866‐FWC‐GATOR (392‐4286). The FWC’s Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) uses contracted nuisance alligator trappers throughout the state to remove alligators 4 feet in length or greater that are believed to pose a threat.
• Be aware of the possible presence of alligators when in or near fresh or brackish water. Negative alligator encounters may occur when people do not pay close attention to their surroundings when working or recreating near water.
• Closely supervise children when they are playing in or around water.
• Never swim outside of posted swimming areas.
• Swim only during daylight hours. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn.
• Do not allow pets to swim, exercise, or drink in or near waters that may contain alligators or in designated swimming areas with humans. Dogs are more susceptible to being bitten than humans because dogs resemble the natural prey of alligators. The sound of dogs barking and playing may draw an alligator to the area.
• Never feed or entice alligators – it is dangerous and illegal. When fed, alligators overcome their natural wariness and associate people with food.
• Inform others that feeding alligators is illegal and creates problems for others who want to recreate in or near the water.
• Dispose of fish scraps in garbage cans at boat ramps and fish camps – do not throw them in the water. Although you are not intentionally feeding alligators when you do this, the result can be the same.
• Observe and photograph alligators only from a safe distance. Remember, they are an important part of Florida’s natural history as well as an integral component of freshwater ecosystems.
• Leave alligators alone. State law prohibits killing, harassing, or possessing alligators except under a permit.
• Never remove an alligator from its natural habitat or accept one as a pet. It is illegal and dangerous to do so. Handling even small alligators can result in injury.
• If an alligator bites you, the best thing to do is fight back, providing as much noise and resistance as possible. Hitting or kicking the alligator or poking it in its eyes may cause it to release its grip.
• When alligators seize prey they cannot easily overpower, they will often let go and retreat.
• Seek immediate medical attention if bitten by an alligator. Alligator bites often result in serious infection.

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