Not sure when, maybe the late 1980s, but stories surfaced that Florida homeowners wanted to impress their Northern relatives on vacation so set out tempting bait for alligators to get used to getting closer and closer to their yards. That way the relatives could say they saw an alligator and be really impressed.
2022 stories said a giant one broke into a Clearwater woman’s home, and “A Florida home worker discovered a gigantic 12-foot alligator loitering in the master bedroom, according to the Miami Herald.” Several similar stories.
At one time, Florida had sane people running it. By the 60s and 70s the fools and idiots were beginning to take over.