Massive Alligator Killed After Terrorizing Paddleboarder

Vicki Reamer Baker/Facebook

Five months after a paddleboarder had a terrifying run-in with a nearly 12-foot-long alligator, the reptile has been killed.

The incident happened in September 2021 and video of the encounter went viral. The video shows the alligator approaching a woman on a paddleboard and bumping the board with its snout. The paddleboarder, Vicki Reamer Baker, can be seen pushing the gator away with her paddle. The critter hissed and bared its teeth in response.

According to the Ocala Star Banner, the alligator was often seen lounging along the banks of the Silver River at Silver Springs State Park. As a result, the gator had become popular among kayakers and paddleboarders trying to catch a glimpse of the giant reptile.

After photos and videos of Baker’s run-in, Florida wildlife officials approved the killing of the alligator as requested by Silver Springs State Park, due to its potential threat to humans.

The male alligator measured 11 feet, 10 inches long and was trapped on February 22 then “shot in the head one evening near dusk last month by a trapper contracted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.” State wildlife officials say it was processed for its hide and meat.

See more videos and photos of the terrifying encounter between the alligator and the paddleboarder below.