East Lake Gator Turned Over To Trapper

A 10-foot alligator found roaming an East Lake office park on Tuesday morning has been turned over to a trapper, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officials.

"The alligator was turned over to a trapper who followed policy and was most likely euthanized," said Officer Baryl Martin, spokesman for FWC.

The gator was found in the parking lot of an East Lake office complex early Tuesday morning, prompting someone to call 911. The caller said the gator was snapping at cars in front of Prestige Dentistry, located at 4140 Woodlands Parkway, according to this Patch story.

Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies and FWC officers responded to the scene and secured the alligator. Any alligator more than 4 feet long is to be turned over to a trapper, Martin said.

Those gators are usually euthanized, Martin said.

During the spring season, FWC sees a spike in calls about nuisance gators. Spring is mating season and often larger alligators drive smaller ones out of local ponds and waterways to increase their odds of mating, Martin said.

It's unclear if the East Lake gator was pushed out of his home by a larger gator.

If you see an alligator, the best thing to do is call FWC, Martin said. Also, keep your distance, he said.

"Most of the time they're more afraid of you than you are of them," Martin said.

To report an alligator, call the FWC's Nuisance Alligator Hotline by calling 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).