Floridians have spotted gators in pools, parking lots and even convenience stores, but a 12-foot alligator strolling into a golf course is still an unusual (albeit not totally uncommon) sight.
The massive reptile moseyed into the MacDill Air Force Base golf course in South Tampa on Friday, WFLA reports. U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Jake Sherrock captured video of the creature as it took fellow golfers by surprise.
“That is a monster. Absolute monster,” the golfers say in the video. “He gets real close.”
Sherrock told the station the gargantuan gator has been sighted before at the Bay Palms Golf Course, but the experience was still “surreal.” The MacDill Air Force Base is also aware of gators’ occasional trips to the golf course: The base provides tips on their website on what to do when you encounter wildlife on the course.
“Alligators and snakes thrive in Florida due to the subtropical environment. While there are few gators on base and the threat is low, there are a variety of snakes. They range from the common garter snake to rattlesnakes. The best practice when dealing with alligators is to steer clear of their habitats, especially adjacent to ponds, rivers and other water habitats,” the website states.
