Alligator-Charges-Fast-Lightning-South-Carolina-Hiker

Alligator Charges ‘Fast as Lightning’ at South Carolina Hiker

A man from South Carolina had a close call with a speedy alligator after getting too close to the water’s edge.

Chad Gerald learned just how fast an alligator could run when he got a little too close for the alligator’s comfort on the water’s edge. Gerald was hiking near Francis Marion National Forest in South Carolina.

He says that he is happy the alligator didn’t eat him because then the wild animal would need to be euthanized by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

He also said he heard hatchings chirping nearby and that he thinks it was a protective mother coming to scare him away.

This isn’t the outdoorsman’s first time coming in contact with these beasts.

He was recording the encounter on his phone as the two inched closer to one another. Once close enough, the alligator lunged at him.

“When she came at me, it was such a blur. It happened so quick, and I just turned and ran. To be honest with you, I felt like I knew how close I could get and not be in danger. But apparently, I misjudged it a little bit,” Gerald said.

He managed to get a video of the moment with his phone before sprinting off. Gerald says that after the initial strike, “the rest of the video is just ground. It’s dirt, and me hauling ass, scared as hell.”

The amateur photographer and wildlife enthusiast says that he feels bad for getting so close to the animal and encourages others to not follow in his footsteps.

“The last thing I want to do is stress an animal out. We do enough harm to them as is. Kind of learned a lesson that I need to respect their territory a little more,” he said.

Alligator Attacks

Alligator attacks in South Carolina are rare, with only 23 reported attacks since 1915.

[H/T The State]