‘We done found the gator!’ Wildlife experts weigh in on rare sighting near Atlanta
An “out of the ordinary” alligator sighting just south of Atlanta has set the internet abuzz, prompting Georgia wildlife experts to weigh in on the odd occurrence.
Yvette Stephens Shelton filmed the moment she spotted the elusive gator, known as “Flat Creek Floyd,” basking near the Highway 74 bridge over Flat Creek in Peachtree City on April 18. The scaly green giant has been spotted several times in recent weeks, WXIA reported, with sightings dating to 2016.
“Y’all look, it’s the gator! We done found the gator!” Shelton exclaims in the video posted to her Facebook page. “Gosh, he is huge. He’s so big!”
The video has racked up more than 23,000 views as of April 29, sparking interest in what wildlife experts describe as a rare encounter.
“It’s definitely not common,” Kara Nitschke, an alligator biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division, told McClatchy News. “Typically you don’t see alligators going much further north than the Fall Line ... so anything north of that is kind of out of the ordinary.”
The Fall Line marks the natural delineation between the Piedmont and upper Coastal Plains regions, Nitschke explained, stretching from Columbus through Macon and eastward toward Augusta. During this time of year, however, males may venture beyond their usual range in search of a mate.
“Undoubtedly, he’ll be moving South again when he realizes he’s the only alligator in the area,” she said, laughing.
So far Georgia DNR officials said there are no plans to trap and relocate the reptile, unless it poses a threat to people or pets. Last week, the agency sent a technician to the area where “Floyd” was last spotted, but couldn’t find him, according to Nitschke.
Officials said it’s hard to say whether the gator Shelton encountered is the same “Floyd” that’s been seen in the area in recent years. Previous sightings prompted warnings from Peachtree City police after some people tried snapping selfies with the animal, WSB-TV reported.
“If it’s the same gator and he ... just decided to take up residence (in Peachtree City), we would probably see him other times during the year,” Nitschke said.
The state has reported nine alligator attacks between 1980 and 2007, one of which was fatal, according to state wildlife officials. Six were the result of a person stepping on or making contact with a submerged gator while the other three were triggered by the gator mistaking a person for prey.
Should you ever cross paths with an alligator, experts say it’s always best to keep a safe distance.
“In all instances, never approach an alligator,” Nitschke said. “Never feed an alligator.”
Peachtree City is about 30 miles southwest of downtown Atlanta.
This story was originally published April 29, 2022 at 10:25 AM with the headline "‘We done found the gator!’ Wildlife experts weigh in on rare sighting near Atlanta."