Overview

• A British tourist in Kissimmee filmed a local woman tossing flip-flops at an alligator to drive it away from deer near a freshwater pond.
• The alligator seized one of the sandals and slipped back into the water, creating a moment that was shared on TikTok and quickly went viral.
• News outlets from Fox 35 Orlando to USA TODAY and right-leaning sites picked up the clip, fueling social media chatter about human-wildlife interactions.
• The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has reiterated that feeding or harassing alligators violates state rules and heightens the danger of wildlife encounters.
• Florida is home to roughly 1.3 million alligators across lakes, rivers and wetlands, and authorities stress maintaining distance and heeding posted wildlife warnings.