FL Deputy Finds 4.5-Foot Alligator On Elementary School Playground

Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office / Facebook

Everglades Elementary School in Okeechobee County, Florida had an unexpected visitor. While it is relatively common to see an alligator in the state of Florida, it still is a surprise, especially when the safety of young children is at risk!

Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Greis spotted an alligator at Everglades Elementary School’s campus near the playground. Luckily this alligator wasn’t a match for Deputy Greis, who calmly captured it and relocated it to a river in Okeechobee County called Nubbin Slough.

Deputy Greis took two photos with the animal – one at the school and one before releasing it in the river – showing that it measured 4 1/2-feet-long, which may not look that big to an adult, but to an elementary schooler it is a pretty decent size!

“Although the mascot at Everglades Elementary School is an alligator, he can’t be on the playground and that’s exactly where Deputy Greis found him going,” the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office wrote on Facebook. 

They added, “All in a day’s work.”

See the photos of the alligator below.