DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — There was an unusual sight on Delray Beach on Wednesday morning.
A 12-foot alligator was seen in the surf and walking along the beach!
The gator startled onlookers who watched in surprise as the massive reptile casually meandered about. Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded after a number of people contacted their office.
WATCH: Witness describes seeing alligator on beach
An alligator trapper eventually removed it and brought it to a local farm.
T.J. Tamaccio, who witnessed it all, described the scene and his impression of this unlikely sight.
"It was crazy. I just rolled up to the beach doing my routine, and I saw the commotion. I thought it would be a little shark or something," Tamaccio said. "I was trying to think where it came from. It must have been far out there but probably came from Boynton Inlet and got lost had to get to land and beach itself."
FWC said alligators can swim in and tolerate salt water for a short period of time, but it’s not their preferred habitat. They are common in freshwater lakes, slow-moving rivers, brackish water and their associated wetlands.
