A Davie neighborhood’s long-running reptile saga came to a close before sunrise Friday, when firefighters and police finally corralled a large alligator that locals say had been haunting the area for about two years.
The animal was spotted in standing water on a residential block after a water-main break, and its capture wrapped up what town officials and wildlife managers describe as a roughly two-year effort to get the gator out of the neighborhood. No injuries were reported, and the alligator was handed over to state wildlife staff once they arrived.
According to Local 10, Davie Fire Rescue crews were dispatched to the 3900 block of Southwest 84th Terrace at about 5:18 a.m. for a reported water-main break and were told an alligator was in the water. When the reptile tried to slip into a nearby yard, Davie police moved in with a catch pole while firefighters tossed a towel over its eyes and helped hold it down until Florida Fish and Wildlife personnel reached the scene. Fire Rescue spokeswoman Jessica Montes told the station the gator was turned over to FWC and that no one was hurt.
On-scene cooperation
Video from NBC 6 South Florida shows crews working calmly and methodically to secure the animal as neighbors looked on from nearby homes. The station reported the alligator had dodged FWC trappers for about two years, and credited the fast, coordinated response by Davie Fire Rescue and police for keeping the situation under control.
FWC guidance for residents
State wildlife officials are using the incident as another reminder that residents should call in problem alligators rather than trying to play gator wrangler themselves. Per the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, people who see an alligator they believe poses a threat should call the Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), so contracted trappers can respond safely.
Why this matters
Encounters like this are a reminder that crocodilians - native alligators and, in some areas, nonnative caimans - are simply part of South Florida’s waterways. As reported in stealth gator cousins, biologists say prompt reporting and tight coordination between local agencies and state wildlife managers are key to cutting down on dangerous run-ins.
Davie officials said the captured gator is now in FWC custody, and the agency will determine next steps under state rules. Neighbors were again urged to keep children and pets away from canal edges and to contact the Nuisance Alligator Hotline if they see an animal acting aggressively or otherwise posing a threat.
