Video Shows Gator Chasing Florida Golfers
There is a video going around that shows a gator chasing Florida golfers while they are in their golf cart. This actually happened back in the middle of February as a couple of golfers were driving their golf cart while on the course. That’s when the alligator started quickly running right towards the golf cart with its mouth open before going into the pond on the other side. This event happened in Ave Maria, Florida, which is near Naples.
Lucky for us the incident was captured on video, which you can watch below.
Where Alligators Are Found
If you are wondering, alligators live in all 67 counties in Florida. There are an estimated 1.3 million alligators in Florida and there is 5 million in the southeast United States. You can find alligators in any body of water including lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes, swamps and man-made canals. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says, “Remember, never feed an alligator and keep your distance if you see one. Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours. And keep pets on a leash and away from the water.”
Alligator attacks are rare, but they do occur. From 1948 to 2021, there was only 442 alligator attacks with only 26 of those being fatal. Crocodiles are also found in Florida although they primarily are found in south and southeast Florida. There are over 2,000 adult crocodiles in the wild.
Top 10 Most Infested Lakes In Florida
1. Lake Okeechobee – 9,308
2. Orange Lake – 2,732
3. Lake George – 2,660
4. Lake Jesup – 2,414
5. Lake Kissimmee – 2,065
6. Lake Istokpoga – 1,321
7. Lake Hatchineha – 1,287
8. Kenansville Lake – 1,188
9. Lake Rousseau – 708
10. Newnan’s Lake – 657
All I know is that if that happened to me I would definitely have my head on a swivel. It wouldn’t prevent me from playing golf again, but it would make me aware of my surroundings. I have seen alligators on the golf course before, but I have never had one chase me.
Top 5 Places To Live Near The Beach In Florida Without Breaking The Bank
Florida is a dream destination for many. Families will come to visit, and then start planning their move to the Sunshine State. Can you blame them? There are many perks of living in Florida like the no income tax, gorgeous beaches, and endless recreational activities. When looking for the cheapest places to live in Florida, you’re likely going to be directed to the smaller inland cities. But let’s be real, you’re probably making this move to be closer to the water. So we found a list of the cheapest places to live in Florida and condensed that list to focus on the places near the beach.
We found our list of the most affordable places to live in Florida from Property Club. They factored their list based on median housing prices, and other costs of living like groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare. For the housing prices, they compared average rents and median prices sold between January 2023 and January 2024. They drew their data from the U.S. Census, Zillow, Rent Café, and more.
Florida Housing Market Overview
With so many people relocating to Florida, it’s made the housing market extremely competitive. Locals who are hoping to become first-time home buyers are stuck renting because they can’t combat the cash offers from the transplants. According to Redfin, home prices were up 4.5% from 2023, with the median selling price at $404,100. In January 2024, 10.2% of homes in Florida sold above the list price.
More Affordable Beach Towns
Keep in mind when looking for cheap places to live near the beach, you won’t ever be directly on the water. Nothing about living ocean-front is cheap. Keep in mind the cost of living in Florida is 1% higher than the national average. Another realtor blog, Norada, listed more affordable beach towns including Pensacola, Port St. Lucie, Tarpon Springs, and Bradenton. You can check out their full list here.
Here Are The Top 5 Cheapest Places To Live Near The Beach In Florida
Kevin is a member of Tampa Bay‘s Hometown Morning Krewe on 995 QYK. He has been with the station for 25 years, is a Tampa native, and went to Jesuit High School and USF. Go Bulls!. He is passionate about all things Tampa Bay. Kevin writes articles on the ongoing road projects around the Tampa Bay area, awards that Tampa Bay cities and businesses have won and country music happenings around the Bay area. He is always doing many things with his wife and kids. He loves to read books and play video games in his spare time.