A wild crane residing at the Eagle Creek Golf Club in Lake Mary, Florida has been trending on the internet after the bird confronted an alligator for being in its territory.
Footage shows the crane walking up to an alligator laying comfortably on a concrete walking path, probably trying to warm its body in the sun, and shooing it off.
However, the crane appears to be very territorial about its part of the golf course at Eagle Creek Golf Club and approaches the reptile, spreading its wings to let it know that the gator isn’t welcome.
After walking just a few inches away from the gator, the reptile finally rose to its feet and proceeded to flex its body and slowly walk away from the advancing crane.
“Sandhill cranes don’t get afraid very easily, but what a Sandhill crane has is a secret weapon against alligators,” Savannah Boan from Crocodilian Enrichment Coordinator at Gatorland explained. “Alligators are naturally afraid of humans, so what do I look like if I do this? I look like a big ole human.”
Wildlife experts say that it’s rare for alligators to target cranes because the birds are usually too fast and can get away.
“They are opportunistic predators, so they’ll grab one if they get close, but in a scenario like that, where there’s a small alligator like that and a huge looking Sandhill crane, the alligator’s always going to be like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s a monster, I got to get out of here.”