Man wrangles alligator, frees it from plastic ring in Florida

A man in Bokeelia, Florida, used a broom and a wet blanket to free a distressed alligator from a plastic ring.

Michael Stauffer found the gator in his backyard and said the ring was “cutting him up all over his body” before he freed it.

With the help of a friend, Stauffer used the blanket to cover the animal and a broom to stop it getting away, before he taped the gator’s mouth shut and removed the plastic.

Stauffer said after freeing the animal, he notified the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission about the incident and they sent an officer out to pick up alligator.

This story was originally published January 24, 2018 at 1:11 PM with the headline "Man wrangles alligator, frees it from plastic ring in Florida."