Alligator Disrupts Morning Traffic in Wilmington

An 11-foot alligator made an “unexpected” visit to a roadway in Wilmington, North Carolina, on the morning of August 20, disrupting traffic for about an hour as officials tried to coax it back to water, the Wilmington Police Department said.

The efforts of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NC Wildlife) and New Hanover County (NHC) Animal Control to move the gator were livestreamed on the police department’s Facebook page. The footage shows the gator moving between a sidewalk and the road, coming to rest at various points and approaching vehicles, before eventually moving into grass off the roadway and back into water.

The Wilmington Police Department took to Twitter to thank NC Wildlife and NHC Animal Control for their work. Credit: Wilmington Police via Storyful