A man looking to send off a package from his local post office ran into an unwanted guest right at the front door.
This Florida man arrived at the post office facility on Philatelic Road in Spring Hill just after 3 a.m. Tuesday morning where he made the find. Deputies from the Hernando County Sheriff's Office responded and found the 7-foot alligator roaming in the lobby. The alligator somehow made his way through the automatic double doors that allow entry into the lobby.
In one of the more unsurprising locations to find an alligator in the state of Florida; as opposed to other locations we have seen gators spotted in the past like your front door, swimming pool or under a car. Post office is a new one to many Floridians.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Alligators are found in all of Florida's 67 counties and have lived in the states many marshes, swamps, rivers and lakes for centuries. Due to human population growth, there have been more frequent alligator-human interactions and the potential for conflict.
Alligators when seen in wild (or urban areas apparently) can appear rather large, with some of the larger ones growing in access of 10-feet long.
A gator at a post office isn't exactly common, but to Florida you couldn't say it is uncommon either.
A trapper responded and was able to safely remove this alligator from the lobby of the post office without incident.
To report nuisance alligators to the FWC, call 866-FWC-Gator or 866-392-4286.