FORT MYERS, Fla. − It’s not every day you get a knock on your door late at night.
And it’s definitely not every day that the source of the late-night knocking is a roughly 5-foot alligator.
That was the reality Monday night for Gateway, Florida, resident, Elizabeth Fabbri, and her family as her husband heard a knocking around 10:30 p.m. As they went to go answer the door, they were greeted by the alligator lounging on their doorstep.
With just the glass on their front door as a barrier, Fabbri whipped her phone out to take photos of the gator at her door. It even tossed her a toothy grin before it eventually darted back off into the darkness.
Fabbri shared her experience with fellow Gateway residents on Facebook and the story took off quickly, commenters not believing what they were seeing and how close she got to the gator. Some joked it was just another day in the life for Floridians.
Check out Fabbri’s photos of the gator below.
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How to stay safe from alligators:
While Fabbri and her family were safe behind their front door, others might not be so lucky the next time they encounter a gator on their front lawn.
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission works to keep Floridians and visitors informed and recommends the following precautionary measures near alligators, including in or near the water, to reduce the chances of conflicts with alligators:
- Keep a safe distance if you see an alligator.
- Keep pets on a leash/small children away from the water’s edge. They often resemble alligators’ natural prey.
- Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and without your pet. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn.
- Never feed an alligator. It’s illegal and dangerous. When fed, alligators can lose their natural wariness and instead learn to associate people with the availability of food. This can lead to dangerous circumstances for yourself and other people who could encounter the alligator in the future.
- Pay attention to warning signs surrounding waterways.
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