The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office had an unusual and memorable encounter with a massive alligator on December 2, 2025.
Around 5 p.m., deputies responded to reports of a 14-foot alligator that had decided to settle right in the middle of a neighborhood street. The alligator had tripped a house alarm to which then the residents called the sheriff’s department to come get rid of.
The enormous reptile caused quite a stir, blocking traffic and alarming residents who gathered at a safe distance to watch the spectacle unfold. Recognizing the potential danger, the Sheriff’s Office acted swiftly.
Seven deputies teamed up with a highly skilled professional trapper to safely handle the situation. After a careful and coordinated effort, they managed to secure the alligator and lift it into a waiting truck. The animal was then transported to an alligator farm,” where it will live in a controlled environment.
Francesca Abarca is a journalist at Sarasota Herald-Tribune, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at fabarca@gannett.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Watch 14-foot alligator removed from Sarasota residential street
Reporting by Francesca Abarca, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
