Last week in Manatee County, an alligator turned up tangled in a soccer goal net; a scene you don’t expect at your local park.
Wildlife photographer Sheri Nadelman was out walking her doodles in Bradenton when she got word about this surprise pitch invader. Not your usual day at the park.
When deputies arrived, they found the gator wedged into the netting. Four of them got to work. At first, the gator wasn’t interested in cooperation. It took some effort, but the deputies secured its snout and hauled it away without harm. After the rescue, they released the alligator into the Manatee River, hopefully far from any more impromptu soccer matches…