Troopers, wildlife officers save alligator crawling on busy Florida Turnpike

"An alligator waddling on the emergency shoulder of the Florida Turnpike on Friday morning backed up traffic during rush hour as authorities worked to rescue it. Around 8:30 a.m., concerned commuters alerted authorities of the alligator on the shoulder near the Northwest 74th Street exit of the Florida Turnpike, Florida Highway Patrol said. Troopers and Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission officers rolled out to rescue the gator, moving it to a canal that runs parallel to the turnpike."

"The alligator was about 9 feet long, the FWC said. The agency also is reminding residents of the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program, which addresses gator threats in developed areas. Anyone with concerns about an alligator is asked to call the FWC's Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-392-4286, and an alligator trapper will come to the rescue."

A nine-foot alligator walked onto the emergency shoulder of the Florida Turnpike near the Northwest 74th Street exit during Friday morning rush hour, causing traffic backups. Concerned commuters called authorities around 8:30 a.m., prompting a response from troopers and Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission officers. Officers captured the gator and relocated it to a canal that runs parallel to the turnpike. The FWC reported the alligator measured about nine feet long and reminded residents of the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program. The FWC asks anyone with alligator concerns to call the Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-392-4286.

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