An alligator that crosses the warehouse of a bakery, passes the kitchen and reaches the counter, under the incredulous eyes of the employees and customers. It’s not a scene from a movie, but what happened in Southport, a coastal town in North Carolina, where a young reptile about a meter long entered the Bagel Dock Express, a place specializing in traditional American bagels. The store’s surveillance cameras documented the unusual incursion, recording every movement of the animal and the reaction of the people present. In the video, which has gone viral on social media, the almost one meter alligator can be seen advancing through the rooms of the restaurant until it surprises the owner, who suddenly walks away, while another person grabs a chair to keep the unexpected visitor at a distance.
When the alligator made his entrance, owner Jesse Driscoll was busy installing a new furnace. The place was closed to the public, a circumstance which avoided an even more eventful meeting with customers.
In the images you can see the reptile advancing undisturbed up to the counter area. Then comes the moment when Driscoll notices the intruder: he walks away suddenly, visibly surprised, while another person grabs a chair, in an attempt to maintain a safe distance.
Interviewed by the local broadcaster WWAY, the owner said that in his shop he is used to seeing all kinds of people, friends who stop by to say hello and regular customers. But an alligator? He really never would have expected that.
Fortunately, the incident ended without injuries. After the call to the emergency number 911, Southport police officers intervened together with animal protection personnel, captured the small reptile and transferred it to another location. The footage was also released by the Guardian, which published a video of around 49 seconds in which the entire journey of the animal can be seen, from the entrance to the back room to the meeting with the staff.
Why are alligators increasingly approaching people?
As much as it may seem like a scene from a movie, the presence of alligators in inhabited areas of North Carolina is not that exceptional. In fact, the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) lives along the coast of the state, a species native to the humid areas of the south-east of the United States. Sightings in residential neighborhoods and near businesses are not unusual, especially in areas near lakes, canals and swamps.
This year, in Southport, authorities also had to deal with a three-meter alligator that appeared outside the door of a home and another spotted in the drive-through area of a bank. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission warns of one particularly dangerous behavior: feeding alligators.
Sources: Southport Police Department NC/ Bagel DOC Express
