Shocking moment alligator bends metal fence in Florida golf club and climbs through, weeks after OAP mauled to death

10 March 2023, 12:39

This is the horrifying moment an alligator bends the newly-installed metal fence of a golf club and climbs through.

The incident in Florida was captured on video just a few weeks after an 85-year-old woman was mauled to death by an alligator in the same state.

The video, captured in the small town of Placida, has gone viral on social media, with more than 500,000 views on Facebook.

Matt Devitt, who posted the video, said: "Check out this big guy bend the aluminum bars and plow right through it this week in Placida."

Aluminium is a relatively lightweight material, which goes some way to explaining how the alligator was able to force its way through the bars.

Less strong materials are also used for things meant to stop the alligators getting onto people's properties, leading to fears that the alligators could be able to attack other people.

Mr Devitt said that the person who filmed the incident said the alligator crawled to the other side. 

One commenter said: "He knows what he's doing...he did it before."

Another person said on Instagram: "That’s why in Florida, if there’s a body of water, there’s a gator in it! Stay safe people!"

Some 1.3 million alligators live in Florida. The giant reptiles are considered a threat to humans when they are longer than four feet, are considered a threat to humans.

The clip comes after Gloria Serge, 85, was mauled to death by an alligator in February. State officials removed four alligators from the Spanish Lakes Fairways communities' lakes as a result.

Ms Serge was killed as she tried to rescue her dog from the alligator, which was put down as a result.

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Local official Jay Mandelker said the alligators had been removed "to allay any concerns and to make us realise the precautions we should take with regard to wildlife, alligators in particular.

"If you're walking by a lake, a pond, anywhere in Florida, understand, this is Florida, there could be alligators, so do not walk against the edges of any pond or lake, stay a safe distance away."

Ms Serge is the third person to be killed by an alligator in Florida since last July.