Move over Sharknado. As Tropical Cyclone Debby rages across the East Coast, it’s brought a new type of critter into South Carolina backyards.
Alligators as large as 9 feet have been spotted in residential areas across Florida and South Carolina, seeking shelter from the storm.
The Usual Hoax
Nearly every hurricane season, photoshopped images of sharks in city streets resurface. Terrifying shots of Great Whites swimming down residential streets, inside malls, or on front porch steps flood Twitter every year. Fake images of post-hurricane sharks – nicknamed “Hurricane Sharks” – are so common, they have their own Wikipedia page.
Perhaps that’s why these authentic images of alligators seeking shelter from Tropical Cyclone Debby are all the more interesting.
A Movie-Inspired Fear
Why the fascination with storms ushering in predators? Thank Hollywood.
Sharknado, the 2013 cult classic film, depicts a pack of bloodthirsty sharks terrorizing Floridians after a hurricane brings them inland. Another film, Crawl, follows a father and daughter fighting off a pack of alligators that invade their home after a hurricane. Why the Hollywood version is harrowing, real alligators are significantly less of a threat.
Gators Gone Wild
It’s actually not unusual for alligators to be found in residential areas, especially when they’re so close to the wetlands. Residents are used to avoiding lagoons and lakes where gator sightings are common.
Earlier this summer, Hurricane Beryl ushered over 200 crocodiles into Tamaulipas, a Mexican state just south of Texas.
Gator Crossing
In Hilton Head, South Carolina, one viral video showed an alligator taking a peaceful stroll along a flooded roadway. Robert Moose Rni captured sight, exclaiming “There’s a 7-footer! Imagine walking around the corner and seeing that sucker.”
The alligator can be seen taking a short break to lie down in a puddle. More footage shows the gator walking along further down the same street.
Pool Party Crashers
Imagine looking out your back window and seeing a dark shape shuffling around. You look closer and realize it is a 6-foot-long alligator.
That’s exactly what happened to one Hilton Head resident! She told the Island Packet she saw the “unwelcome visitor” swimming in her backyard pool.
A Strange House Guest
In another video, South Carolina resident Adrienne Leblanc filmed a gator cruising through her yard.
In the past few days, she reported seeing between six and eight gators within feet of her home, two of which were wrestling. She said, “I feel like I’m the alligator whisperer because they all kept coming to our house like a magnet.”
Why Did The Gator Cross the Road?
So, why is this happening?
When gators sense a storm coming, they seek shelter in mud or swamps. But if they get swept away, they’ll take refuge in any place they can find. In a suburban area, that’s often backyards, under porches, or in swimming pools.
Fish Out of Water
Alligators aren’t the only wild animals making an appearance. Several videos of strange catfish, squirming away from the camera in the shallow water, have gone viral on social media.
These aren’t just ordinary catfish – they’re walking catfish, a species native to Southeast Asia. They’ve been in Florida since the ‘70s, and are known for their ability to crawl on land.
The Real Danger
Experts say that the gators pose a minimal threat to residents. Generally speaking, if you leave them alone, they’ll leave you alone.
According to the BBC, snakes are the more likely animal-related danger in floods. They’re smaller and harder to spot, making them harder to avoid.
Debby’s Path
Debby made landfall in Florida last week as a Category 1 Hurricane but has since been downgraded to a Tropical Depression, and now a Tropical Cyclone.
Debby has already brought heavy rains, floods, and tornados to the South East coastal states. It is expected to continue northeast and bring extreme floods to Pennsylvania, New York, and New England.
