A Lakeland, FL family got a huge surprise when they looked into their backyard pool on Tuesday – and I’m not talking about mustard algae here. Upon inspecting the pool after seeing bubbles, homeowner Craig Lear discovered a 9-foot long, 300-pound alligator in the deep end of his pool.
Craig found the gator – which came from a pond near the backyard – after he returned from work around 5:30 p.m., according to WWLP.com.
“I saw a bubble in the pool and I thought a golf ball had come through the screen so I went up and I didn’t see a golf ball. I looked in the deep end and there was a big gator,” Lear said.
He wasted no time running inside to tell his wife, Laura, who was watching their 6-month-old son.
The family contacted FWC officials, who quickly came by to remove the massive reptile from the pool:
Situations like this are certainly a shock, but they aren’t uncommon, especially now that alligators are approaching mating season – becoming more active.
Lucky for the Lear’s – no one decided to go for a late afternoon swim.
