PATIENTS WITH LIFE-THREATENING CONDITIONS UNDER FEDERAL LAW. >> I'M NOT SURE WHERE HE CAME FROM. >> BUT I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE HE DOESN'T KNOW WHERE TO GO. >> YEAH. CURIOUS COM OF OR IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN HERE IN CAPE CORAL. >> THE BIG ALLIGATOR MIGHT BE A FAMILIAR SIGHT IN FLORIDA, BUT NOW IT IS LEAVING NEIGHBORS IN FEAR FOR THEIR KIDS, THEIR PETS IN THEMSELVES. >> 7, ABC SEVEN'S MULHOLLAND, ALTHOUGH CALLIE IS FINDING OUT WHY THERE IS A HOLDUP IN GETTING IT REMOVED. >> NEIGHBORS WHO LIVE ALONG SOUTHWEST 17 PLACE TOLD ME THAT THIS MASSIVE ALLIGATOR BEHIND ME HAVE BEEN COMING HERE FOR AT LEAST A MONTH NOW OUT OF THIS CAN NOW. AND IT JUST SITS THERE. IF IT WANTED TO MOVE, IT'S A SHORT WALK TO THESE HOMES AND THE ROAD BECAUSE OF THIS. NEIGHBORS ARE USING EXTRA CAUTION TO PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN AS WELL AS PETS. >> IT SAYS ME. >> JOSEPHINE BROWN HAS SEEN HER FAIR SHARE OF ALLIGATORS HERE IN CAPE CORAL SAYS THIS ONE MAKES HER NERVOUS.O I'M NOT SURE WHERE HE CAME FROM, BUT I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE HE DOESN'T KNOW WHERE TO GO. THIS BIG GATOR SWIM TO THIS CORNER OF THE CAN NOW NEAR SOUTHWEST 17TH PLACE IN SOUTH WEST 13TH STREET. IT DOES ITS PERSON OF SOMETIMES EVEN TRIED TO GET UP THE HILL, THE CELL KIDS, YOU KNOW, AND THEN YOU HAVE KIDS THAT ARE BORGIAS WINDING AROUND. WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. >> IF THEY SEE HIM, I SAW KIDS THROWING ROCKS AT SO I LIKE, >> THAT'S NOT A GOOD NEIGHBORS. WE SPOKE TO SAY IT'S A LITTLE TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT. >> IS BECAUSE I'VE EVER SEEN AND TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT CLOSE AND LOOK IT'S IT'S OUT OF THIS WORLD. IT'S SYSTEM THERE. WE REACHED OUT TO FWC TO FIND OUT WHEN OFFICERS STEP IN AND REMOVE GATORS. THEY SAID IF IT'S A LEAST 4 FEET LONG AND BELIEVED TO BE A THREAT TO PEOPLE, PETS OR PROPERTY, THEY CONSIDER IT A NUISANCE ALLIGATOR AND CAN RELOCATED STAY AWAY. OBVIOUSLY NUMBER ONE DON'T WANT THEM NEAR THAT. YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN SEE THERE IS AN ANGLE WHERE HE COULD COME UP ON TO THE YARD, BUT JUST TRY TO STAY AWAY. OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS READ ARTICLES LIKE IF YOU KIND MOVE FASTERHAN THEM ON LAND. BUT ONCE YOU'RE IN WATER, YOU'RE IN TROUBLE. >> WE >> THEY'RE TROUBLED AT THESE CAPE CORAL. NEIGHBORS DON'T HAVE TIME ULTIMATELY LITTLE YOU CAN DO TO MOVE AN ALLIGATOR, BUT THERE'S A LOT YOU CAN DO TO CHANGE FOR YOUR KID GOES. SO YEAH, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, T HE DOESN'T BOTHER ANYBODY.
Curious alligator causing concern in Cape Coral neighborhood
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Updated: 9:53 PM EST Jan 8, 2025
A curious alligator is causing a growing concern in a Cape Coral neighborhood. Residents are worried that the gator could harm an animal or kids who live nearby. This gator has been showing up religiously at the corner of a canal for a month now along Southwest 17th Place, Southwest 13th Street and Southwest 17th Avenue, and does its version of sunbathing. Because of this, neighbors are using extra caution to protect their pets and children. Despite seeing alligators all the time, Josefine Brown a neighbor who lives near the canal says this one makes her nervous."I'm not sure where he came from, but I'm concerned because he doesn't know where to go," said Brown. This big gator even tried to get up the hill near the canal which is fairly close to several houses, Brown is worried about curious kids. "These are little kids, you know, and then you have kids that are bored just running around and want to know what's going on. I saw kids throwing rocks at them, so I was like, that's not too good," she added. Neighbors who live nearby say it's a little too close for comfort, and are shocked everytime to gator pops up. "He's probably as big as I've ever seen, and to be able to get that close and look at him, it's out of this world," said Philip La Martina, a Cape Coral resident. "It just sits down there," David Gonzalez said. We reached out to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to find out when officers step in and remove gators.They said if it is at least 4 feet long and believed to be a threat to people, pets, or property, it is considered a nuisance alligator and can be relocated."I don't want them near that, you know. You could see there is an angle where he could come up onto the yard, but just try to stay away," said Martina. "Obviously, you know, I've always read articles, like, if you kind of move faster than them on land, but once you're in the water, you're in trouble." Trouble that these Cape Coral neighbors don't have time for. "There's little you can do to move an alligator, but there's a lot you can do to change where your kid goes," said Gonzalez. "We don't really know what's going on, but he doesn't bother anybody, and yeah, I'm not bothering him, so I'll tell you that," said Martina. If you ever see an alligator, the best thing to do is to leave it alone. If the alligator is causing problems, contact the FWC.The FWC places the highest priority on public safety and administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program.The goal of SNAP is to proactively address alligator threats in developed areas while conserving alligators in Florida. SNAP uses contracted nuisance alligator trappers throughout the state to remove alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property. People with concerns about an alligator can call the FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), and they will dispatch a contracted nuisance alligator trapper to resolve the situation.
CAPE CORAL, Fla. — A curious alligator is causing a growing concern in a Cape Coral neighborhood. Residents are worried that the gator could harm an animal or kids who live nearby.
This gator has been showing up religiously at the corner of a canal for a month now along Southwest 17th Place, Southwest 13th Street and Southwest 17th Avenue, and does its version of sunbathing. Because of this, neighbors are using extra caution to protect their pets and children.
Despite seeing alligators all the time, Josefine Brown a neighbor who lives near the canal says this one makes her nervous.
"I'm not sure where he came from, but I'm concerned because he doesn't know where to go," said Brown.
This big gator even tried to get up the hill near the canal which is fairly close to several houses, Brown is worried about curious kids.
"These are little kids, you know, and then you have kids that are bored just running around and want to know what's going on. I saw kids throwing rocks at them, so I was like, that's not too good," she added.
Neighbors who live nearby say it's a little too close for comfort, and are shocked everytime to gator pops up.
"He's probably as big as I've ever seen, and to be able to get that close and look at him, it's out of this world," said Philip La Martina, a Cape Coral resident.
"It just sits down there," David Gonzalez said.
We reached out to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to find out when officers step in and remove gators.
They said if it is at least 4 feet long and believed to be a threat to people, pets, or property, it is considered a nuisance alligator and can be relocated.
"I don't want them near that, you know. You could see there is an angle where he could come up onto the yard, but just try to stay away," said Martina. "Obviously, you know, I've always read articles, like, if you kind of move faster than them on land, but once you're in the water, you're in trouble."
Trouble that these Cape Coral neighbors don't have time for.
"There's little you can do to move an alligator, but there's a lot you can do to change where your kid goes," said Gonzalez.
"We don't really know what's going on, but he doesn't bother anybody, and yeah, I'm not bothering him, so I'll tell you that," said Martina.
If you ever see an alligator, the best thing to do is to leave it alone. If the alligator is causing problems, contact the FWC.
The FWC places the highest priority on public safety and administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program.
The goal of SNAP is to proactively address alligator threats in developed areas while conserving alligators in Florida. SNAP uses contracted nuisance alligator trappers throughout the state to remove alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property.
People with concerns about an alligator can call the FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), and they will dispatch a contracted nuisance alligator trapper to resolve the situation.
