SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FL (WSVN/CNN) - Residents of one south Florida neighborhood were scared when an alligator made her home in their backyard. But they were horrified when a trapper they thought would remove the gator killed it right in front of them,
“You’ve got to respect the wildlife here,” said Paul Pino, a resident of the community.
That’s exactly what didn’t happen Wednesday afternoon when a gator trapper was called out to the Snapper Creek Townhomes community.
“We had a female gator that nested straight behind me and we had some kids trying to pelt it with rocks, and it started to get really aggressive,” Pino said.
Out of fear for the safety of the neighborhood kids, a resident called the homeowners’ association to take care of the situation, expecting authorities to transplant the alligator.
But instead, things took a deadly turn.
“The trapper hooked it by the neck and killed it on the spot,” Pino said.
A neighbor caught it all on camera, even as the trapper dragged the dead gator away.
Pino said he and other residents are angry. He said the neighborhood serves as a sanctuary for wildlife.
“Gators are common here. We get manatees here almost every day. We’ve got a neighborhood peacock,” he said.
Pino said the gator had been in the area for some time and had recently laid eggs. He believes the gator was protecting her nest, and that she has never proved to be a nuisance.
“I would have liked to see them trap it humanely and put it away,” he said.
The homeowners’ association president said he was not aware of the situation and is trying to find out who called in the trapper.
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