Randy Forbes says he and his wife were pressure-washing the dock at their Oakland home last month when he noticed something gliding toward them that would not take a hint. An alligator kept closing the distance, and no matter how many times Forbes tried to wave it off, it refused to leave.
“He wouldn't move. He just continued stalking us up and down the dock,” Forbes said, according to WESH 2 News. Forbes has lived on his lakefront property along Lake Apopka for two decades, and the station reports he and his wife were pressure-washing the dock in September when he first noticed the gator getting too close for comfort.
Forbes said he tried shooing the animal away, but it would not budge, continuing to trail the couple along the dock's edge. Worried the alligator could eventually turn on a child in the neighborhood, he called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's nuisance alligator hotline to report it.
Trappers Haul Away Two Gators
A team of nuisance trappers responded and pulled two alligators from the shore near Forbes' home. The first measured about 8 feet, 10 inches, while the second, which Forbes believes was the one that had been following the couple, measured 11 feet, 1 inch. Both animals were relocated to Gatorland, the same report states.
Forbes also told the station he suspects people have been feeding alligators in the area, particularly from public docks, a practice that could help explain why the animals have grown bold enough to approach people rather than flee. Under Florida law, intentionally feeding or enticing a wild alligator with feed is illegal, classified as a Level Two violation under Florida Statutes.
A Deadly Attack Close By
The encounter on Forbes' dock came weeks after an alligator killed 71-year-old Steven Hamilton at Dr. Bradford Memorial Park in Winter Garden. Police said Hamilton was taking a photo with a fish he had caught when the alligator pulled him into the water at a pond next to Lake Apopka, which is home to thousands of alligators, the same WESH report notes.
The Orange County Medical Examiner's Office determined that Hamilton died from a blunt-force injury to his left leg and drowning, ruling his death an accident, according to ClickOrlando. Forbes said he was told the alligator involved in Hamilton's attack was killed by police. A contracted nuisance alligator trapper also removed an 11-foot-8-inch alligator from the area after the fatal attack, per WFTV.
Second Fatal Attack of the Year
Hamilton's death marked the second deadly alligator attack reported in Florida this year, according to CNN. The outlet reported that a 31-year-old Oviedo woman, Brittany Clark, was killed by a 13-foot alligator near her home in June.
Still, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission maintains that serious injuries caused by alligators remain rare across the state, the station's earlier report on Lake Apopka noted. The agency runs a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program to field complaints about alligators believed to threaten people, pets or property, the same report states.
For his part, Forbes said the experience has changed how he moves around his own backyard. He said he plans to be more cautious and check his surroundings near the water from now on, telling the station that any body of water in Florida may hold an alligator capable of causing serious harm.
