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Photos: Gator Takes a Dip in Apartment Complex Pool

The critter was removed by a trapper.

While it wasn’t “Jaws” lurking just below the surface, it was clear to residents of a New Tampa apartment complex Friday night that it wasn’t safe to go into the water.

That’s because the pool at Vista Grande Apartments had an uninvited guest – an alligator who decided to jump in for a swim.

“Look before you enter,” the Tampa Police Department joked on its Facebook page after the critter was safely relocated. “This gator could be disguised as a really nice pool float, but was the real deal tonight.”

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It seems the critter wandered into the pool sometime during the evening. Police were called out and so was a local trapper who relocated the intruder to a gator farm where it – and swimmers – would be safer.

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Close encounters with Florida alligators have been making national headlines as of late. Last week, a monstrous critter wandered onto a golf course in the Englewood area, sparking lots of speculation about whether the photographs taken by those on the course were real or Photoshopped.

Images courtesy of the Tampa Police Department

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