They make a distinctive sound that you never forget once you’ve heard it......................
I was FREAKED OUT.
I didn’t know what it was - not a mountain lion, bobcat, coyote, dog, cat - I was traumatized as it sounded like it was feet away from me. The growl was a warning shot and my dog’s reaction of running away and hiding when it was already gone made me almost collapse. It wasn’t until I was looking over out community website and everyone talking about the alligators that I went on YouTube and found an alligator growling.
This is exactly want I heard. In the dark in the dead of silence.
https://youtube.com/shorts/GRLQIrp-0m4?si=pPEQZjQC78S7iNNa
My nephew (11 years old at the time) once did the gator call at a family reunion. You know, two gators showed up rather quickly. Luckily there was a building where we could hide in until the gators were gone. I kid you not. This happened about 30 years ago in Gainesville.