11 March 2023 , 17:07
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An 11.5-foot alligator broke into a property's screened-in porch and dived into the pool, leaving the owner frightened and baffled.
Lynn Tosi had the unexpected guest on her porch after the reptile busted through the enclosure and landed in her pool in Volusia County, Florida.
Ms Tosi saw the alligator from inside her house and was left scared and unsure of how to handle it.
It is not uncommon to see alligators in Florida, especially during this time of year when they are most active.
The huge alligator left a large hole in Tosi’s screened-in porch as it entered "like the Kool-Aid man".
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Alligators are active this time of year (WFTV)
The 11.5-foot alligator left a large hole in Tosi’s screened-in porch (WFTV)The woman told WAVE3 : "I just kind of circled around, not knowing what I was going to do next. I sure wasn’t going outside.
"He busted right through there, kind of like the Kool-Aid man, you know."
This encounter is just one of three reported incidents in the county in the past week.
In another incident, a man in Daytona Beach was bitten by an alligator when he opened his front door.
Fortunately, he survived the attack, but it serves as a reminder of the dangers that alligators can pose.
In the third incident, a man in Deltona had his dog grabbed by an alligator.
He ended up shooting and killing the alligator, but he is not facing any charges.
"I just kind of circled around, not knowing what I was going to do next" (WFTV)Trappers have warned that alligators are most active at dusk and dawn, and homeowners should exercise caution when near lakes and ponds, especially during these times.
It is always a good idea to double-check the area before diving into a swimming pool or other body of water.
Alligators are a natural part of Florida's ecosystem, but it is important to respect their presence and take steps to avoid dangerous encounters.
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Last month, an 85-year-old woman was killed by an alligator while walking her dog in a senior living community on Florida's Atlantic Coast.
The woman was walking beside a canal in Spanish Lakes Fairway near Fort Pierce when the nearly 11-foot (3.3-meters) gator attacked the dog, St. Lucie Sheriff Ken Mascara said.
A trapper from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission later tracked down the gator and deputies helped get it on a truck. It was taken from the scene.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, between 1948 and 2021 there have been 442 unprovoked alligator bites on humans, including 26 fatalities.
The chances of a person in Florida being injured in an unprovoked alligator attack is about one in 3.1 million, according to the commission.