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Gator causes traffic backup on South Florida roadway

Police played crossing guard to help get the reptile safely across the road.
Credit: Port St. Lucie Police Department

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Chalk this up to just another day in Florida!

A road in Port St. Lucie was shut down, causing a bit of a traffic jam over the weekend, because an alligator was trying to cross it.

The Port St. Lucie Police Department posted on Facebook saying this might have been the first time a gator was blamed for the pause in traffic.

Wondering why Lyngate Drive was closed? This might be the first time that an Alligator has caused a traffic jam in...

Posted by Port St. Lucie Police Department on Saturday, May 29, 2021

In the post, the department says, "In case you're wondering our reptilian friend is 10 foot 4 inches."

Once the gator made his way safely across, the road was reopened.

So, what should you do if you come across an alligator while you're out and about in Florida?

FWC says people should never feed alligators and keep their distance if they see one. People can also stay safe by only swimming in designated swimming areas and keeping pets away from the water and on a leash at all times when they're out. 

You can read more about living with alligators on FWC's website.

If an alligator is spotted somewhere it probably shouldn't be, you can call FWC's Nuisance Alligator Hotline.

FWC says an alligator can be considered a nuisance if it is at least four feet in length and the person calling it into the toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline thinks it could be a threat to people, pets or property. When people call the hotline and are concerned about an alligator, FWC says it will send out one of its nuisance alligator trappers to handle the situation. 

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