Alligator Caught Behind Pinecrest Home
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PINECREST (CBSMiami) – A seven and a half foot alligator was caught on the shore behind a house in the 7100 block of 133rd street in Pinecrest on Wednesday.
Rita Schwartz, who lives in the home, reported seeing two alligators to the Pinecrest Police Department, who then contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
She says one of the gators nearly killed one of her dogs.
"Over in the corner here, they all went over there and all of a sudden I heard a splash, a really loud splash," said Schwartz.
A licensed nuisance animal catcher was dispatched and caught the alligator.
Additionally, the catcher is attempting to bring in the second alligator that was spotted in the same area.
"All of a sudden I spotted two alligators, just their heads and their heads were pretty big and one of them went after my dog so I called the dogs in," said Schwartz. "Thank goodness they listened to me."
Bait was left all over the area in hopes that the second gator could be caught.
Trappers say there have been alligator sightings all over Pinecrest in the last week and a half.
It is mating season for Florida's estimated 1.3 million alligators.
Each spring alligators leave their watery homes in search of food, a mate and, eventually, sex.
Despite large freshwater canals criss-crossing the Pinecrest neighborhood, folks who live there say for at least the past several years they've never seen or heard of an alligator in the area.
CBS4's Natalia Zea caught sight of the second gator near the back of Schwartz's home Wednesday afternoon.
The trapper says he will wait for it to take the bait before trying to remove it.
Neighbors say that can't happen soon enough.
Courtship typically is in April, followed by mating in May and June, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Residents with concerns about an alligator may call the Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR.