Seven-Foot Alligator Surprises Cape Coral Resident on Front Porch

A three-legged, seven-foot gator showed up on Barbara Smith's front porch in Cape Coral, Florida, on March 30. Her neighbors texted, warning her not to open her door.

"I got this strange text saying, 'This is what we see on your front porch, don't come out the door,'" Smith said to Gulf Coast News. "I owe you my life."

When local police saw they needed help, they reached out to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). A professional trapper caught the gator and took it to a wildlife farm between Alva and LaBelle, where it joined 2,000 other gators.

Police stuck around, keeping an eye on school kids walking home. The catch was one of four gator removals near Fort Myers Beach that week.

Local authorities continue to remind people to stay away and call officials if they see concerning gator behavior.