Video shows 8-foot alligator keeping Florida deputies busy until trapper arrives, removes it from backyard

Florida deputies were forced to call for reinforcements to help remove a massive alligator from the backyard of a home south of Tampa, and it was all caught on video.

Floridians are no strangers to alligators – they've been found living in all the state's 67 counties. But when one of the massive animals ends up close to home, it feels a bit different.

In body cam video posted to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office Facebook page, you can see deputies trying to come up with a plan to get a "4- to 5-foot" gator from the backyard to a pond across the street.

"I don't want him turning around on me," a deputy can be heard saying as he approached the alligator from behind.

Then comes a hiss and tail snap.

"Yeah. Just like that," the deputy jokes.

The video then jumps ahead to another angle showing a deputy walking by the still alligator before it lets out a large hiss and lunges forward, forcing a deputy to jump out of the way.

The other deputies can be heard laughing before realizing they needed extra help.

"Stay clear of it," a deputy can be heard saying. "This is a job for a trapper."

The trapper arrives and the video shows him working to get the alligator out of the backyard.

But not before it put up a fight.

Once the alligator was removed, the trapper said he was going to measure it.That's when deputies realized they underestimated the size of the animal.

"It was 8 foot four (inches)," the trapper says.

The deputy then laughs.

"We were way off," he said.

Staying safe from alligators in Florida

Alligators have inhabited Florida's marshes, swamps, rivers and lakes for centuries and are found in all of Florida's 67 counties.

As people continue to move to Florida, there is a bigger need for buyers seeking waterfront homes, and more interest in water-related activities. That's where there is a bigger risk of more frequent alligator-human interactions, according to officials. 

Keep a safe distance and never feed an alligator: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said that, when fed, alligators can quickly overcome their natural wariness and learn to associate people with food.

Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours: Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn.

Keep pets on a leash and away from water: The FWC said that because pets can resemble an alligator's natural prey, it's important to keep dogs, cats and other pets on a leash and 10 feet away from the water's edge to prevent conflict with an alligator.