A couple enjoying the sand and surf on an Alabama beach Sunday were greeted by the unexpected sight of a massive alligator emerging from the waves.
Matt Harvill and his girlfriend were enjoying a “very beautiful day” on the beach of Dauphin Island when they overheard someone mention that an alligator was swimming in the Gulf waters, just inches away from the shore, according to WBRC News.
“So, we walked down to get a better look and snap some pictures. It’s not everyday something like that happens. We see them in Dog River and the Bird sanctuary. Almost never in the Gulf like that. I knew if I didn’t get pictures no one would ever believe it,” Harvill told the outlet. (RELATED: North Carolina Home Inspector Stumbles Upon 8-Foot Alligator Squatting In Attic)
Another beachgoer, Stacy Whitworth Rollins, also snapped photos of the reptile, believed to have been between 4-5 feet in length, AL.com reported. Rollins told the outlet she had once caught baby sharks in the same area the alligator had emerged from.
While alligators are usually associated with freshwater swamps, ponds, and rivers, they are known to venture into saltwater from time to time in search of crabs, sea turtles and even small sharks, the Dauphin Island Sea Lab informed the outlet.
“Alligators are not unusual on Dauphin Island though they don’t tolerate salt water very well,” a spokesperson for the sea lab told the outlet in an email. “So if there’s one hanging out on the beach it may have wandered over from the freshwater ponds or made its way following a rainfall event (when the water was lower salinity),” the statement concluded.
Officials warn that it is always wise to be aware of your surroundings and not to approach wildlife, WBRC reported.