Evelyn Bell, a visitor dangerously close to the action, decided to record the moment. She told video production company Ark Media that the interaction in Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive was the real-life equivalent of watching a nature documentary.
"Moments like these remind me how incredible and unpredictable wildlife truly is," Bell shared with Ark Media.
Bell initially posted the clip in an "Alligators of Florida" Facebook group, where users share alligator related content, on July 11.
Bell, who saw the gator at a bridge, thought the apex predator "likely caught that carp in the canals nearby, where fish gather in shallow spots."
"Just another wild day at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive… and look who’s hogging the right of way!" Bell wrote. "This bold gator casually strolled across the road—carp in mouth, like it’s heading to a picnic."
Where in Florida are the most alligators?
To get a population estimate, Florida Fish and Wildlife using sample data from the state's Alligator Management Units (AMUs), which are established areas across Florida. "The population estimates provided use a set of analyses incorporating the current years size and count data, environmental variables (water levels, etc...), and detection probability to estimate the total population and adult population on a given waterbody," according to an email from FWC.
According to data from the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, these were top 20 most alligator-infested lakes based on estimated total population in the Sunshine State in 2024:
Top 20 most alligator-infested lakes in Florida
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida alligator crosses road with jaw full of takeout dinner: Video
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