Photo: Darrien Land / 500px / Getty Images
Cape Coral, FL - A Cape Coral woman was met with an unexpected sight on Thursday afternoon when a nearly 7-foot-long alligator appeared on her front porch.
According to local reports, Barbara Smith received a text from her neighbors warning her not to open her front door due to an alligator seen outside her home.
When Smith checked, she found the large reptile—missing one leg—on her doorstep.
Cape Coral Police initially responded to the scene but determined the size of the animal required assistance from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). A professional trapper was called in to remove the alligator safely.
Despite initial reports labeling it a “baby” alligator, Smith confirmed the animal was much larger than described. “They told me it was a baby, but it was almost seven feet long,” she told Gulf Coast News.
FWC officials transported the alligator to a wildlife farm located between Alva and LaBelle.
The facility houses approximately 2,000 alligators across 125 acres, according to the trapper involved.
Police remained at the scene throughout the removal process to ensure public safety, particularly for schoolchildren walking home in the area.
This incident follows several recent gator sightings in the region, including three alligators captured near Fort Myers Beach earlier in the week. All were relocated to the same facility.
Local authorities continue to urge residents to report wildlife sightings and avoid interacting with potentially dangerous animals.