A family in southern Florida discovered an alligator almost 11ft long in their swimming pool after they were woken by the sound of the intruder.
The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said the alligator ripped tore though a panel in the enclosure surrounding the swimming pool in Deep Creek and entered the “nice, cool water”.
Sheriff’s deputies were called to the address on Tuesday morning to find the alligator in the pool and damage to the lanai, which are typically found in Florida and cover pools.
The alligator was 10ft 11 inches in length and weighed over 550lbs, the sheriff’s office said.
Images showed the alligator swimming in the family pool before officers used an alligator trap to capture the predator on a nearby lawn.
Multiple Charlotte County sheriff’s deputies were involved, as well as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
The sheriff’s officer advised Deep Creek residents to check their swimming pools before diving in to avoid any unwanted confrontation.
The swimming pool alligator is not the first incident among residents in Deep Creek, WINK news reported, with an alligator photographed walking up to somebody’s front door on the same street.
The FWC said in a statement last month that Florida had entered alligator mating season, and that residents should expect increased encounters.
Alligators are known to seek prey during warmer weather and will also sunbathe to regulate their body temperature, according to the FWC. About 1.3m alligators call Florida home, according to the agency.
