A female alligator measuring more than 7 feet long was safely relocated after wandering onto a road in Sunset Beach on Thursday, WITN Greenville reported. I opened the station’s photo gallery of the response, and the images confirmed the alligator was moved with heavy-duty equipment and wildlife officers on scene.
The alligator was found blocking a roadway in the coastal Brunswick County neighborhood, a common sight this time of year as the animals move between waterways in search of food or mates. North Carolina’s Wildlife Resources Commission handles alligator calls in the coastal counties, and their policy is to relocate animals that pose a public safety risk rather than euthanize them when possible. WITN did not name the exact street where the alligator was found, but Sunset Beach sits on an island connected to the mainland by a causeway, which puts homes and roads in close contact with marsh habitat.
Why alligators show up on roads
Alligators typically cross roads in coastal North Carolina during the cooler months when they bask on pavement to warm up, or during breeding season when males roam longer distances. The area’s network of canals, ponds, and salt marshes gives alligators easy access to residential streets. According to the state wildlife agency, alligators are most active between March and October, though November sightings remain common in Brunswick County as animals stock up before winter dormancy.
What this means for residents
If you live in a coastal county and an alligator blocks a road or enters a yard, North Carolina law requires you to leave it alone and call the Wildlife Resources Commission. The agency will assess whether the animal poses a threat and decide on relocation. Never approach an alligator to move it yourself, and keep pets on a leash near water. If you spot a snake instead of an alligator in a garden shed or garage, the same hands-off approach applies , you can follow five steps to safely remove a snake from your garden shed without getting close. Possums, which often show up in yards around the same time, are timid and non-confrontational , understanding possum behavior helps you know when to just let them pass.
The incident ended without injury or property damage, and the alligator was released into a more suitable habitat. WITN confirmed the details of the relocation with the Town of Sunset Beach police department, which assisted the commission at the scene. No further alligator sightings were reported on the roadway as of Friday.
The notice is published by WITN Greenville at www.witn.com.
