Garrett Galvin, a Floridian man, and experienced wildlife hunter, explored Florida's Everglades National Park. He shared a clip of his exploration on social media, where alligators surrounded him.
Man Explores Everglades National Park
Galvin shared footage of his visit to the wild on TikTok. In the clip, he showed at least six pairs of eyes glinting in the darkness. He shines his torch on them, revealing a swarm of "swamp puppies."
According to Galvin, the alligators are everywhere, and being surrounded by them is his fault because he's calling them up. He noted that they are sweethearts, and he loves every one of them. However, he also knows that he still needs to watch his back.
He shares a bigger alligator underwater and even said in the clip the reptile was pretty brave to be close to him.
There are 1.3 million alligators in Florida, and more than 21 million people live there alongside the reptiles in all 67 of the state's counties. Although their preferred habitats are Florida's marshes and rivers, gators can occasionally be seen in inhabited areas.
Galvin, a fifth-generation Floridian, has lived his entire life surrounded by the most exotic animals the state has to offer.
He frequently puts himself in situations involving alligators. He told Newsweek that when he is in charge, everything goes well. However, things can get sketchy when he loses control.
He admitted that he had a number of close calls with gators, but he never felt out of control. He remembered being in the middle of a pond and coming across an unexpected alligator nest. According to him, the mother alligator was very aggressive.
He said he was in the water and had trouble keeping a proper distance. Fortunately, he wasn't hurt, but it was reportedly a close call.
He said it could be risky if one is unsure of what they are doing because mother gators will defend their babies viciously, thinking they are in distress.
He also acknowledged that the beasts are cannibalistic and will eat a smaller gator if they have the opportunity. In a previous report from Science Times, a wildlife photographer witnessed an 8-foot cannibal alligator eating a smaller gator. There have been numerous stories of bigger alligators preying on their kind.
@fishingarrett Meet my Everglades friends #everglades#foryou#fyp#wildlife#conservation#florida#flaoridaman#alligator#viral#nature#foryourpage#foryoupage#floridacheck#snake#animals#gator ♬ original sound - Fishingarrett
Netizens React to Everglades Exploration
The clip also shares Galvin's close encounter with a cottonmouth snake, which he helped cross the road. He also met a little gecko with "an attitude." Galvin told the baby lizard his attitude would serve him in the long run.
He also picked a little scarletsnake, a thin-bodied snake that can grow between 14 to 20 inches. According to Florida Museum, scarletsnakes are not dangerous to people or pets. They rarely bite when captured and will only do so in defense.
Several netizens reacted to the video. Many said Galvin has no fear and is very brave. Another said that the man from Florida was living his nightmare, but a different user said he was living every man's dream life.
One also asked him if gators or crocs had attacked him in the past. Galvin said yes, but explained that it was his fault because they are generally peaceful in most situations.
When asked about his scariest experience, Galvin said it involved people, not animals.
RELATED ARTICLE: Homeowner Shot a 7-Foot Alligator 4 Times in the Head While the Beast Was Biting His Dog; FWC Will Not File Charges for the Killing
Check out more news and information on Alligators in Science Times.
