Two misguided aspiring influencers are being looked into after they were caught on video petting an alligator in Florida, which came just days after a swimmer was killed in a similar incident.
“Join us as we pet the alligator,” TikTok user Kylie Rose captioned this risky adventure, describing what she and her friends thought would be a thrilling “Summer of Steve Irwin.”
In one video, the young women were seen in a clear canoe at Silver Springs State Park, with one girl dipping her hand in the water to stroke the back of an alligator. Some footage was later taken down after it racked up 2.1 million views and sparked widespread outrage, according to reports.
“Look, I just nudged him,” the adventurous kayaker said, smiling as she talked about the encounter.
Another clip, which has gained a staggering 21 million views, featured a crocodile thrashing near their canoe.
“Oh no!” one of the friends shouted as the crocodile splashed away, making Kylie scream in surprise from her paddle board.
The Florida Wildlife Commission is now investigating the incident, and touching the alligator is deemed harassment, which could lead to a fine of $500 or a 60-day jail sentence.
This controversial video emerged just days after several serious alligator attacks, including one involving Brittany Clark, who was attacked while swimming in a Florida river on June 28. She was about 90 miles from where the TikTok videos were filmed.
Additionally, Brody Terry, an 11-year-old from Pennsylvania, lost his hand to an alligator on June 27 while fishing with his family, and on July 3, a 71-year-old man named James Grayson McMicken was attacked while fishing from the shore in North Fort Myers. He managed to poke the alligator in its eye and ran for his life.
Most viewers of the TikTok videos had little compassion for the influencers. Some criticized their behavior, calling it harassment and pointing out that the crocodile was clearly trying to avoid them. “This is 100% harassment of the crocodile,” one commenter noted.
“Not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed,” another person humorously remarked.
