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Florida swim practice canceled by alligator at bottom of pool

By Lauren Silver, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
By Lauren Silver, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

MONTVERDE, Fla. — A swim practice in Florida took a wild turn on Friday, when the team went to jump in the water at Montverde Academy and found an alligator at the bottom of the pool.

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In a Facebook post, Lake County sheriff’s deputies posted pictures of the 3-foot gator that was caught, saying the animal “had decided to try out for the swim team, preventing the actual swim team from practicing.”

DFC Faust and Deputy Brownsberger responded to a call at Montverde Academy in reference to a 3-foot alligator that had...

Posted by Lake County Sheriff's Office on Friday, March 11, 2022

Deputies said that they were able to use a safety hook to remove the alligator from the water, put tape around its mouth, and took him to be released in Lake Apopka. Neither the alligator nor deputies were hurt.

Florida swim team finds alligator in pool Photo of the alligator in the pool. (Lake County Sheriff's Office)

The Montverde Academy is a school for grades Pre-K3 through 12, and features the Monteverde Aquatic Club as a year-round swimming program, The Miami Herald reported.

Florida swim team finds alligator in pool The alligator, seen here being held by a sheriff's deputy. (Lake County Sheriff's Office)

Many people left comments on the Facebook post, saying, “They should have kept the little guy in there! Would have made the team swim faster and help improve their times!” Another questioned, “I wonder if they should have charged him with resisting arrest?”

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, there are approximately 1.3 million alligators in Florida who live in each of the state’s 67 counties.

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