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A giant alligator was spotted paddling towards beachgoers and boaters along Palm Coast’s shore last weekend at an unusual time of the year. Alligators are typically found in marshes, swamps, and slowly flowing freshwater rivers in Florida. But the aquatic creature was seen swimming just north of Jupiter inlet on Jupiter Island, even touching the shore.
Aerial photographer Nick Serrano, who has been based in Juniper for almost 20 years, was filming a blacktip shark migration when he came across the huge alligator.
“Incredibly grateful to have captured this moment,” Mr Serrano wrote in the photo caption of the 10-foot-long alligator.
He added: “I’ve lived along the treasure coast and palm beaches for 18 years and have never seen an alligator break the inlet. I’ve heard stories of possible sightings in the past but none have been captured on video to my knowledge.
“A once-in-a-lifetime experience I’ll be sure to remember.”
An American alligator was spotted paddling towards the beach along Palm Coast’s shore (Image: Jam Press Vid/@altitudefp)
Alligators are typically found in marshes, swamps, and slowly flowing freshwater rivers in Florida (Image: Jam Press Vid/@altitudefp)
The photographer reported being with his girlfriend when they found an 8-10+ foot American aligator cruising the surf.
As he photographed the alligator, Mr Serrano noticed the aquatic creature showed some “concerning signs”, prompting him to alert the state’s animal welfare organisation.
“I called it in as a concern for the gator’s well-being as well as some potential injuries to the left forward limb and snout. [I] wasn’t sure if it was able to make it back inshore without assistance,” he said.
In his long years at the head of Altitude Film & Photo, a British independent film distributor, he said he had never seen an alligator “touch the beach”.
Nick Serrano said he had never seen an alligator ‘touch the beach’ (Image: GETTY)
Alligators do not dwell in the ocean, according to the National Ocean Service (Image: GETTY)
He reportedly could not believe his eyes, and spent 30 minutes watching the spectacle. However, he is not sure about what happened with the state’s animal welfare organisation.
He said: “The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was called, but I’m not sure if anything came of it.”
Alligators do not dwell in the ocean, according to the National Ocean Service, although they can ride the surf and withstand saltwater for a few hours or even days.
With the dry season, Floridians usually experience cooler temperatures, higher winds and fog.
Alligators can ride the surf and withstand saltwater for a few hours or even days (Image: GETTY)
Florida experiences high levels of humidity year-round, however during the winter it is not as intense. The humidity in the summer is intolerable. There are typically many more winds in December and throughout the winter. Higher breezes and windy mornings mitigate the impact of the residual humidity.
In October, beachgoers got to see another 12-foot alligator in the surf and walking along Delray Beach. After the intervention of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, an alligator trapper eventually removed it and brought it to a local farm.
“It was crazy. I just rolled up to the beach doing my routine, and I saw the commotion. I thought it would be a little shark or something,” said T.J. Tamaccio, who witnessed it all, according to reports.
