SARASOTA, Fla. — A woman got a surprise in Sarasota, Florida, when she saw a 10-foot alligator in Myakka River State Park.
Robin Austin posted a series of photos of the alligator to Facebook, showing the animal laying on the bank of a lake with a fish caught in its mouth.
Austin told WFLA she estimated the alligator was 10-12 feet long, while the fish, which she believed was a snook, was 36-40 inches long.
“The gator just laid there. He didn’t move the whole time I watched him and taking pictures. He never moved. I guess gator was cold. Caught this fish and kind of didn’t know what to do with him at the time,” Austin told WTVT.
There have been frequent sightings of alligators in Myakka River State Park, including more than 100 gathered at the same time at what’s known as the “Deep Hole” sinkhole, WTVT previously reported.
Myakka River State Park is 58 square miles, and bobcats, otters, alligators and more than 100 species of birds can be seen there, according to the park’s website.