Florida Kids Swimming Tens of Feet Away From Alligator Shock Viewers

In a terrifying video, alligators can be seen lurking in a river mere tens of feet away from where kids are playing and jumping into the water.

The TikTok clip was uploaded by user @zayyypradaaa on June 15 and has more than 1.5 million likes. Viewers are warned that the video contains swear words. The footage shows an alligator floating in the water of a Florida river, obscured among green algae on the surface, while teenagers and children leap from a rope swing on a beach nearby.

In the comments of the viral video, which has amassed over 150,000 likes, @zayyypradaaa writes that it was filmed on the Wacissa River in northern Florida, around 20 miles east of Tallahassee.

Alligators, also known as American alligators, are found across all 67 of Florida's counties. They also live throughout the southern states, including parts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi.

There are thought to be around 1.3 million alligators in Florida alone. They live throughout the state's swamps and waterways, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. An alligator's prey usually includes fish, reptiles and occasionally larger mammals like deer.

These huge reptiles can grow up to around 12 feet long, and have one of the most powerful bite-strengths of any living animal, at up to 2,000 pounds per square inch. Comparatively, human bites are only 120 pounds per square inch.

Alligators don't usually see humans as food, but may attack people if they are mistaken for prey, or in self-defense. They are usually more active in the warmer spring and summer months, as they are cold-blooded, and are even more active during their mating season between May and June.

Alligator attacks are relatively uncommon, but can be deadly. There were 376 injuries and 15 deaths reported from such encounters between 1948 and August 1, 2004, according to a study published in 2005 in the journal Wilderness Environmental Medicine. Alligators are especially dangerous in the water, which is exactly where they are seen in the video.

"When an alligator is in water of any sort, that is his element which automatically gives him the upper hand and makes him that much more dangerous," Todd Hardwick, of Florida-based Pesty Critters pest-control service, previously told Newsweek.

Only last week, a 13-year-old was attacked by an alligator while swimming at Howell Creek, in Florida's Winter Springs. Last month, an alligator attacked a pet dog in Riverside Park in Oviedo, near Orlando. The most recent death by an alligator attack occurred in Fort Pierce, Florida, when 85-year-old Gloria Serge was attacked and killed after attempting to save her dog from the creature.

Hardwick advised staying well clear of alligators, and to keep out of the water if they are spotted. "Don't approach it," he said. "Don't walk pets near the water's edge; always keep dogs on a leash near lakes and canals; and stay at least 20 feet away from the water's edge when walking near these areas.

"Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn. Therefore, avoid swimming at night," Hardwick added. "Do not swim outside of posted swimming areas or in waters that might be inhabited by large alligators. Dogs often attract an alligator's interest, so do not swim with your dog."

Hardwick also advised against ever feeding an alligator. "That is dangerous and illegal," he said. "Dispose of fish scraps in garbage cans at boat ramps and fish camps. Do not throw them into the water. Although you are not intentionally feeding alligators when you do this, the result can be the same."

"Different breeds fr #florida #floridakids #alligator #swimming #swimmingwithgators #gatorinfestedwater" the caption of the video reads.

In the comments, other TikTok users wrote about their horror at the sight of the alligator in such close proximity to the swimmers.

"Absolutely not," one wrote, while another commented: "He's over there plotting."

Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about alligators? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.