Alligator headlines typically mirror the chaos that comes with “Florida Man.” Just when you think you’ve seen and heard it all, “Florida Man” finds an iguana in his toilet or climbs out of the window in a moving car on the highway to snag a beer from the bed of his truck. Whether it’s suing McDonald’s after cracking a tooth on a McNugget or trying to run to Bermuda in a bubble, there appears to be something in the Everglades’ water. In this latest Everglades video, an alligator channels its inner Rocky.
Garnering almost 4k views since it found its way online yesterday, the video is already making waves on the Internet. A group of unnamed individuals were shooting drone footage of the Everglades when they stumbled upon a lonesome ‘gator. In trying to get footage of the beast’s impressive array of sharp teeth, the drone got a little too close for the ‘gator’s comfort. The alligator snatched the drone out of the air in one fell swoop. The group immediately broke out in shocked exclamations of “Don’t eat that!” as they watched their drone’s life come to a vicious end. It was only the second time they had used the drone.
In a scene that mirrors Godzilla Vs. Kong, the alligator doesn’t even flinch while devouring the unmanned aircraft system. Smoke billows from its mouth as it continues munching on the device. Eventually, the alligator swallows and slinks away into the water to move on with its life.
WATCH the action here:
Mixed Reactions To The Alligator Video
The group who filmed the video is adamant that the dangerous interaction with the alligator was unplanned. When they did see the alligator, they wanted to get a close-up of its impressive features. Because it was only their second time piloting the drone device, mistakes were made. A safety feature of the drone did not deploy and its sensors seemingly failed to recognize the beast as too close.
Still, many of the comments on the video are brutal. They reprimand the group for being so “reckless” and “careless.” Some comments go so far as to say the group should face prosecution for their treatment of the alligator and improper use of the now doomed drone.
Under the United States Department of Transportation is the Federal Aviation Administration. These guys are the authority when it comes to Unmanned Aircraft Systems like drones. Now, using a drone in a “dangerous matter” is deemed illegal. Actually, drone users are explicitly told “Do not fly over or near wildlife as this can
create stress that may cause significant harm and even death. Intentional disturbance of animals during breeding, nesting, rearing of young, or other critical life history functions is not allowed unless approved as research or management.”
