The terrifying moment an alligator emerged from a pond and charged at a man fishing from the shore was captured on video.
The incident took place in Hilton Head, South Carolina, and fortunately resulted in no injuries. Louisiana and Florida have the largest gator populations, but Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina are up there too.
The fisherman reportedly saw the reptile approaching in the water and did the smart thing by slowly retreating from the water’s edge — alligators are surprisingly quick in short sprints. Once the alligator reached the shoreline, it bolted from the water and charged at the man before turning back.
Bystanders can be heard on the video screaming as the failed attack took place:
CLOSE CALL! A video, taken by a man visiting Hilton Head, shows a fisherman being charged by an alligator near a body of water yesterday. In the video, you can see the scaly animal creeping up slowly into the water before chasing a nearby fisherman away from the water. pic.twitter.com/P9XDfnNZmN
— WLBT 3 On Your Side (@WLBT) June 24, 2023
While it’s not clear if residents have been feeding the reptile, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources issued a warning earlier this year.
“Not only is it illegal in South Carolina to feed alligators, but it also teaches them to associate people with food,” the agency said. “This can cause alligators to lose their natural fear of humans. In many cases, fed alligators will begin to approach at the sight of people and may become aggressive in seeking a handout. Also, don’t dispose of fish scraps or crab bait in the water at boat ramps, docks, swimming or camping areas. You can inadvertently be feeding alligators.”
“Alligators can move in quick bursts over short distances but normally do not try to run after people. If an alligator hisses, it’s a warning that you are too close,” the SCDNR added.
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.