Baby gator beats the heat in Florida fountain

UPI ^ | May 14, 2024 | Ben Hooper

[Red Badger]

May 14 (UPI) -- A Florida woman out for her morning run came across an unexpected scene: a baby alligator beating the summer heat with a dip in a public fountain.

Lauren Shrage said she and her dog were out for their morning run in Palm Beach Gardens when she spotted something in the water in the fountain next to the Mirabella community's entrance gate.

She recorded video when she realized the object was actually a small alligator taking a dip in the cool water.

"Are you having a good day?" Shrage asks the gator in the video.

Shrage said a concerned neighbor eventually plucked the reptile out of the water and transported it to a more suitable body of water.

[BamaBelle]

My daughter lives near High Springs , Fla and they rarely go to the beach, but spend almost every weekend at the springs. Last time I went with them we saw no alligators but I freaked when we saw snakes in the water where we were swimming! She took a look and nonchalantly said “Oh, those are just water snakes.” I got out of the water and didn’t go back in. I hate Satan’s little handpuppets as Bubba on Rick and Bubba calls them...lol

[stevio]

Oh yea, super cute. Now.

[mabarker1]

I find it suspicious that the Baby Gator was in the fountain.

There needs to be investiGATORS looking in to this.

[V_TWIN]

And that’s just the FRESH water hazards......salt water is a whole ‘nother list.

Sharks
Morey eels
Jelly fish
Portuguese Man of War
Sea Snakes
Stone fish
Lion fish
Scorpion fish
And Baracuda......just to name a few

[Chode]

lol... like who put it there

[FamiliarFace]

You see? My family is always hoping I’ll move back. We thought about it for a while. We were thinking about a place on the beach by Okaloosa, then reality sunk in and we decided the grass isn’t greener on the other side of the fence, it’s just green like where we live now. We figure there’s a reason God brought us to Mayberry, Indiana.

[FamiliarFace]

You know we will be on the lookout if we decide to jump in the water, which no doubt, we will do at some point!

We are looking forward to this trip. We are visiting family for a few days, and then I’m on a hunt to find what I call “old Florida”. I know there are pockets somewhere around there.

Now that I’ve thoroughly converted my Yankee husband to being a Southern gentleman, we are looking for places that I see in my mind’s eye of memories of the area. Even though he saw it when we first met, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen it other than in pictures.

[higgmeister]

I've only seen Cottonmouth Water Moccasins, Copperheads and Coyotes here in the South.   I've seen the Water Moccasins in lakes or wedged in the rock crevices along a creek, and I've seen Coyotes running down the street of my subdivision in early morning, but I have had close encounters (within inches and second hand) with Copperheads all of my Seventy one years.   They can be anywhere and everywhere.

[BamaBelle]

My cousin and I visited my daughter several years ago and came home the “long” way (highway 98). You see a lot of old fla on that hwy although it’s sparsely populated. Carrabelle beach is where the D-Day soldiers trained. We rode out the very long bridge and spent most of a day on St. Georges’s Island. I think St. George has the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. Not much there except beach, but we’ll worth the trip out for that. We ended up at Mexico Beach (our fav spot) for a couple of nights before heading back home. A great trip! I also love St. Augustine...

[Keyhopper]

Yes, they’re in the spring also.
While in crystal river check out kings bay. You can also go on a party boat to 3 sister springs and check out c the manatees sleeping. Don’t know if they’ll be the since it’s warn. If you get into Dunnellon for breakfast check out Reds, for dinner go to Stumpknockers on the withalacocia river.

[Keyhopper]

Rained at my place one night, got ready for work and there was a gator in the puddle under my truck;)

[Keyhopper]

You forgot Florida man, you can’t forget him

[Red Badger]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXn1g0xtUMk

[Red Badger]

Florida man is usually a danger just to himself.................

[gundog]

And I remember lots of snakes in snd atound the cold spring waters in the Ozarks. Like ‘gators, if they can find a place to sun, they’re OK.

Alligator in a freeze.

[gundog]

Volunteer at the Chamber of Commerce?

[Red Badger]

Them too...............

[FamiliarFace]

We will be staying at a home on a canal just off of King’s Bay. I don’t need a party boat. I like peace and quiet and going to try my best to find spots of it, even if for a trip another time. Will check out Reds and Stumpknockers! Thanks for the tips!

[odawg]

Baby? It is big enough to bite off a hand.

[FamiliarFace]

St. Augustine is great, and I’m sure we’ll be on 98 for part of this trip. I don’t think we’ll get as far as Mexico Beach this trip, though. Would like to get there sometime. We only have 5 days after the family time to toodle around. I hope it’s enough. (It’s never enough when you’re having fun!)