VIDEO: Gator shows up at Florida home in 'Jurassic Park'-like moment
OLDSMAR, Fla. (WFLA) — An unexpected guest turned up at a home in the East Lake Woodland community of Oldsmar Thursday.
Local Ron Weeden captured the moment on video as a large gator slowly made its way onto the home's front porch and began heading straight for the front door.
Someone in the background could be overheard saying it looked like something straight out of "Jurassic Park."
The scaly creature is not the only one to be spotted at someone's doorstep recently.
Many Florida residents have been getting visits from gators with the reptiles' mating season well underway.
The Lee County Sheriff's Office shared a similar video of a gator "knocking" at a resident's door in the Tortuga community last week. Deputies said the reptile also made visits to other homes in the area.
Alligators tend to become more visible during their mating season, which lasts from May to June, as they wander in search of mates.
While they can be intimidating, serious injuries by gators are rare in Florida, with an average of about eight unprovoked bites per year, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
Anyone who is concerned about an alligator can call the FWC's Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-392-4286.