Via Flickr:
My what big teeth you have.

Sometime during the exploratory trips my wife and I take around Central and South Florida we run into all sizes of Alligators. This big guy was surrounded by other big gators sunning in the warm mid day sunlight. One weekend a few months ago we were exploring a dirt road between Andytown Florida and the Seminole reservation and we counted over 100 ‘gators swimming and sunning along the canals.

Seeing them is one thing but walking around in the muck very close to them is something else. I tend to really respect their space and keep my distance, it’s a good thing we have long lenses on the cameras so we can get these close-up shots.
On the most part these ‘Gators would rather run when they see us but sometime they will hang out and allow some pictures. I don’t fully trust that they will run the other way. I’ve actually seen them pop up and run very fast, mostly in the other direction. One day I’m sure I’ll have to drop my cameras and jump on top of the car in a serious effort to escape being eaten.

Check out my blog for more wildlife shots www.jon-mark.com