Sarasota’s 600‑pound Alligator: A Week‑Long Operation
This week, Sarasota police confronted a daunting task: hauling a 600‑pound alligator out of town. Footage released by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Department showed a coordinated effort involving seven deputies and a seasoned animal trapper. While the trapper held the gator’s jaws shut, the deputies seized its legs and tail, lifting the hefty reptile onto the bed of a pickup truck.
The operation took place during a season when alligators normally start to quiet down across Florida. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, these creatures stop eating when temperatures fall below 70 °F and become dormant below 55 °F—conditions that were met this week as Sarasota County’s highs hovered in the 70s.
Reptiles rely on the sun to keep their body temperature steady, and in Florida, iguanas can become “cold‑stunned” during the winter months. Florida’s largest alligator ever caught measured 14 ft 3 ½ in, taken from Lake Washington, as reported by the Commission.
For residents worried about a local alligator, Florida offers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program that lets people request the removal of any reptile that poses a threat to people, pets, or property. It’s illegal for untrained individuals to handle alligators, underscoring why professionals must escort these animals.
After the tense showdown, the sheriff’s office confirmed that the alligator was safely released at an alligator farm.
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