Drivers spot 11-foot gator walking along Myrtle Beach highway

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — It wasn't Florida this time, but drivers in Myrtle Beach got a surprise when they noticed an 11-foot gator taking a walk along a highway, WFMY reported.

It happened last week along Highway 707.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources said the gator was safely removed.

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Officials said residents don’t need to call to get help to remove most small gators, telling those who may be afraid of the reptile, “When left alone, smaller gators pose very little threat to people.”

More than half of calls alerting the SCDNR are reporting gators less than 5 feet long that pose little threat to humans, reminding people that the adage "They are probably more afraid of you than you are of them," is usually true.

But officials said there are cases when smaller gators need to be removed when they are warming themselves on a road, parking lot or driveway.

And if you encounter a large gator, normally they are shy and don’t confront humans, but people still need to be wary.

No matter the size, officials with SCDNR said it is good to be wary of a gator, don't feed or throw objects into the water where they are known to live, and stay on marked paths.

Cox Media Group