What to Do If You Find an Alligator in Your Yard or Pool

It happens more than you'd think in Jacksonville. A gator wanders into a yard, a pool, or a driveway. Here's what to do.

Step 1: Don't approach it

Seems obvious, but every year someone tries to film a TikTok and ends up in the ER. Stay 30 feet back. Get your kids and pets inside immediately.

Step 2: Don't try to move it

Not with a hose, not with a broom, not with a pool net. Alligators can lunge faster than you can react. They also turn on a dime.

Step 3: Call the FWC Nuisance Alligator Hotline

The number: 1-866-FWC-GATOR (1-866-392-4286)

This is the only legit way to handle it. They send a contracted trapper. Free for you.

When will FWC respond?

Gators four feet or longer that pose a threat get prioritized. Smaller gators may be left alone unless they're in a pool or enclosed space.

Step 4: Document it

Photo from a safe distance. Note the size, location, and time. The trapper will want this.

If it's in your pool

Cover the pool area off. Don't drain the pool. Keep all family members and pets inside. Wait for the trapper. Pool fences keep gators in once they've gotten in, so they're not going anywhere.

If it's in your garage

Close the garage door if you can do it safely (and the gator isn't blocking you). Trap it inside until the trapper arrives.

If your dog is in danger

Get your dog inside if you can do it without crossing the gator's path. Dogs are the number one gator victim in Florida. Read our Jacksonville water safety guide for the full pet safety breakdown.

Why this is happening more

New construction in Jacksonville keeps pushing into wetlands and gator habitat. Spring and early summer are mating season, which means males travel looking for territory. They end up in yards, pools, and culverts.

How to gator proof your yard

• Don't leave pet food outside
• Keep grass short near retention ponds
• Fence off any pond access
• Never feed wildlife (it draws gators)

For the full neighborhood breakdown, see where alligators are most common in Jacksonville and our broader Jacksonville wildlife guide.

Stay calm. Call FWC. Don't be the headline.