Florida Keys: Crocodile Swims In Private Home's Pool

A homeowner in South Florida found a crocodile swimming in his multi-million dollar home. The man then called authorities to report the eight-foot long swimming crocodile at 7 a.m. Thursday, according to a spokeswoman for the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.

Robert Dube with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) said that the water temperature might be the reason why the crocodile decided to take a quick plunge.

"The crocodile was basically just chilling," Dube said, according to CBS Miami.

"I'm sure it had a lot to do with it. The pool was about 80 degrees so I'm sure it was a lot warmer than the ocean that the crocodile was swimming in, especially with the cool weather we've had all week," he added.

FWC representatives wanted the crocodile out of the pool since the recent homeowners moved in to the home only four days ago.

"FWC and the sheriff's office responded to the house and were trying to figure out how to capture this thing," Dube said, The Sun-Sentinel reported. "The croc decided he didn't want all the attention and he climbed out of the pool and slid back into the Atlantic Ocean."

American crocodiles reside in saltwater areas but can also go wander off to ponds or mangrove swamps. They depend on other heat sources for body warmth regulation, so they either stay under the sun or go into areas with air or bodies of water that are more suitable for them, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's website.

Tags

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Atlantic Ocean