Hurricane Milton may be over, but people are still returning to their Florida homes to figure out what to do next. It isn’t going to be a simple or quick process, to put it lightly. Well, one family got more than they bargained for when they opened their front door… and saw an alarming scene they hadn’t anticipated.
TikTok account @wooglobe shared a video of people returning home and seeing what appeared to be a crocodile. The sight of the, undoubtedly creepy, animal sitting in a ton of water is unnerving and unforgettable. While people shared how they were getting ready to leave Florida before Hurricane Milton came, now they’re explaining what happened when they got back.
But was this really a crocodile? According to the comments on this TikTok, it could have been an alligator due to its behavior. One wrote, “Alligators are passive, Crocodiles can be extremely aggressive.” Another said it was “a disturbingly calm response to that fella just hanging out in your kitchen” which I agree with. After I got over the initial shock, I would have absolutely high-tailed (no pun intended) it out of there. Another TikTok user made a pretty apt comparison and said this seemed like a scene out of the 2019 horror movie Crawl.
One person got to the core of the issue, though: “he just wants to be safe, too.” I live in Toronto and might be astonished at the sight of a crocodile or alligator in someone’s living room, but Independent.co.uk reported that many animals are looking for areas they can survive in because of the gruesome hurricane. Frank Robb, who runs Environmental Education Awareness Research Support and Services (EEARSS), told the publication that people could come across snakes and crocodiles in South Florida. He also said that if you live on the Florida coast, you’re going to see alligators and stingrays. Robb said people should avoid water that is darkly colored, since there could be animals inside, and use a walking stick.
Christopher Gillette, who is the co-founder and president of Bellowing Acres Sanctuary, said “please be compassionate to the animals, many animals will be flooded out of their homes and seeking refuge in unusual places!”
I hope the family who made this TikTok did leave their home shortly after filming this video because it would have been risky to stay. 30 people have died after being bitten by alligators in Florida. As of May 2024, 450 people have survived being bitten by this animal, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and there’s no reason to mess with that. People have also gotten hurt while snorkeling and coming across an alligator.
As Florida residents on their belongings and properties, they also want to be careful when driving. When one person drove in Fort Myers, an alligator went right for the tire of the car. There is a need for balance here because you want to keep yourself safe and not get close to any crocodiles and alligators, but you also want to protect them and their right to live in Florida.
