There are any number of things to be afraid of in the ocean. Jellyfish, stingrays, sharks, dolphins (IYKYK), sea urchins, and barracudas, plus, you know, drowning. A man visiting a beach near Houston, Texas, has unlocked a new fear for sea-goers: alligators. Yes, alligators.
Last week, Cory Mandina (@corymandina) posted footage from Galveston Island on TikTok.
It’s a blustery day, perfect for a thoughtful stroll on the beach. Apparently one alligator had the same plan. In Mandina’s TikTok, you can see a gator waltzing into the surf. Mandina aims the camera at the reptile and proclaims in apparent disbelief, “Look at that!”
While he films, the alligator wades further in, seemingly unimpeded by his missing back leg, and starts swimming.
Mandina is stunned.
“Look at, bro. He’s just going right back into the ocean. What the heck, dude,” he says. “That’s the gulf.”
In the TikTok’s caption, Mandina adds, “On top of sharks and stingrays, I guess watch out for these guys while you’re swimming.”
Where Do Alligators Live?
There are two species of alligator: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator. The American alligator, like the one in Mandina’s post, is indigenous to the southeast. The largest populations are in Florida and Louisiana, but you can find them as far north as North Carolina and as far west as Texas or even Oklahoma.
Where you will not find gators, generally speaking, is in the ocean. This is because the reptile’s habitat is in freshwater wetlands.
Water that’s too salty can cause dehydration in these apex predators, so they generally avoid it. However, they can survive in the ocean for hours, even days, and have been known to swim there to remove parasites.
So while alligators may not thrive in the sea, it won’t kill them to take a dip.
Happily, the odds of being bitten by one in the ocean are so remote as to be nonexistent.
Should You Be Afraid Of Alligators?
Alligators are generally docile creatures. Some people even refer to them as “swamp puppies.” And one Louisiana-based creator has introduced a whole slew of people to their love of marshmallows. Lest you think gators have a sweet tooth, apparently marshmallows look like turtle eggs.
That said, these enormous predators do sometimes bite. And once in a great while, that bite is fatal.
The Wikipedia entry for fatal alligator bites in the United States lists 11 deaths in the last five years. To put that in context, each day, roughly 120 people die in car accidents in the U.S., per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Still, being bitten by an alligator and plunged underwater in what’s known as a death roll is the stuff of nightmares—and a classic Betty White movie. For all you horror movie buffs, yes, Lake Placid was about a giant crocodile, but the kill method is the same.
The best way to avoid getting bitten or killed by a gator is to simply avoid them. Don’t swim at night in their territory, never provoke one, and for the love of common sense, do not feed alligators. If you do have a close encounter with an alligator, calmly get the f— away from it.
In the exceedingly unlikely event that one bites you, fight as hard as you can. An expert told CNN they recommend poking its eyes and hitting the top of its head or side of its jaw. And if it pulls you into a death roll, it may reduce injury to roll in the direction it’s pulling you.
Jokes And Horror
Mandina’s post went viral immediately. As of this writing, it’s tallied over 1.1 million views. With an on-screen caption like “big gator chilling on the beach in Galveston, TX!!” it’s easy to understand why.
People came to the comments section with jokes and more than a few childhood fears.
Cliffwormington222 pulled one from the dad joke file, writing, “Definitely a gator, because he said ‘see ya later.'”
Amy Taylor opined, “He clearly is on vacation from Florida!!”
“New fear unlocked,” Kristi Summers REALTOR wrote with an apparent shudder.
Amidst the revelry, there were a few helpful tidbits, such as that alligators do indeed live in Texas and have been known to swim in the ocean to remove parasites.
But for many, Mandina’s post just reaffirmed their aversion to water.
“Aaaaand this is just another reason I don’t go into the water,” wrote one.
Mandina didn’t respond to BroBible’s direct messages sent via TikTok and Instagram.
@corymandina Ontop of sharks and stingrays I guess watch out for these guys while your swimming as well #fyp #fishing #ocean