Surfing Raccoon Rides a Gator

Alligators and raccoons are both common sightings in Florida, but it’s not everyday a photographer manages to capture a shot of a raccoon surfing on a gator’s back.

That, however, is exactly what Palatka resident Richard Jones said happened Saturday while he and his family were out enjoying the scenery at the Ocala National Forest. Jones told WTFV that his son pushed through some palm fronds along the Ocklawaha River and must have startled the raccoon.

Jones clicked his camera quickly to capture the image before the raccoon scampered away.

“Definitely the photo of a lifetime,” he told the station.

See Also:

• Photo: Big Bobcat Drags Shark Onto Florida Beach
• Gator Strolled Up to Florida McDonald’s
• Giant Gator Makes a House Call
• Monster Gator Invades Florida Golf Course
• Gators on the Move as Temperatures Rise

Alligator sightings are quite common in Florida this time of year. The cold-blooded creatures take advantage of the warmer weather to get out and stretch their legs, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials explained.

So far this year, gators have been spotted on golf courses, at people’s front doors and even on busy roadways where they’ve managed to bring traffic to a halt.

While Jones’ unusual photo is making headlines, his unique picture isn’t the only oddity captured on camera this year. In April, a photographer managed to snap a shot of a bobcat dragging a shark onto a Florida beach.

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