Florida is home to a total of around 1.3 million alligators
A man in Florida received a nasty shock when he was greeted and bitten by a large alligator after he opened his front door. According to a report by The Guardian, Scot Hollingsworth was watching television with his wife in their Daytona Beach home when they heard a slight knock on the door on March 4. When he opened the door, he felt something 'violently' grab onto him.
''I jumped up and headed for the door. I opened the door, got out while trying to get to the switch (to turn on the light, no) and as soon as I got out the door my leg was caught and (the alligator) started shaking very violently,'' he told local TV station WKMG.
''It was a complete surprise and shock,'' he said. ''I guess I surprised the gator as much as he surprised me,'' Mr Hollingsworth added. The Florida man also said he had seen alligators around his house but they had always "kept their distance".
Mr Hollingsworth was bitten in the upper thigh and was taken to a hospital where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
As per CNN, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission also received a call about the incident and they dispatched a nuisance alligator trapper to remove the reptile from the area. The alligator was later euthanized by the Commission as it was labelled a 'nuisance.'
Florida is home to a total of around 1.3 million alligators, according to the commission's website. The Commission warned that Floridians can anticipate seeing more alligators than usual as the weather warms up.
''Signs of spring – balmy weather, blooming flowers and nesting birds – are occurring throughout Florida. Warmer temperatures also mean alligators are more active and visible,'' the article on the website reads.