Manatee Watchers Have Close Encounter With Alligator

A group watching manatees by paddleboard and kayak had a close encounter with an alligator in Ocala, Florida, footage posted to TikTok shows.

Video by Leti Trejo’s husband shows the moment an alligator cruised by them as they were out on the water.

“That alligator won’t mess with that manatee at all,” one person is heard saying. “The manatee would snap that alligator right in half.” Credit: Leti Trejo via Storyful

Video transcript

[WIND BLOWING]

[WATER SLOSHING]

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

[CHUCKLE]

- There you go.

She making easy for you.

- Well, [INDISTINCT] wasn't the one I wanted a picture of.

[CHUCKLE]

- This guy's going right over.

- Who?

- The alligator's going right over the manatee.

- Oh, my goodness.

- That's cool.

- That manatee--

That alligator won't mess with that manatee at all.

- Yeah.

- That man--

Manatee would snap an alligator right in half.

- Oh, yeah.

- We've got one of our biologists that was going to capture-- When she got between the net and boat, the manatee took off-- took the leg and pulled her kneecap off.

- Oh, my God.

- Completely pulled two main tendons in her knee out. She has to have a knee reconstruction.

- Wow, what a nightmare.

[WATER CLOSHING]

[WHISPERING]

[WIND BLOWING]