A Friendly Alligator Tried to Chill With Students After Class Because It’s Florida

No kids were harmed during the encounter.

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From the land where alligators are kept as pets, men defecate in a patrol car after being busted for speeding, and Donald Trump is seen as a viable candidate, comes another feel good story from the Sunshine State. A friendly alligator got a little too close for comfort when it strolled onto school property, likely in search of a good time with some cool kids.

Mashablereports that the short-legged creature showed up at Geneva Classical Academy in Lakeland around 2 p.m., just before classes let out. According to reports, the gator looked like it was heading toward the lake but opted to hang out at school instead.

"It was certainly an unexpected and exciting event and quite an educational experience for our students," school's administrator Richard Cali toldThe Brandon Patch.

After seeing various reports of the terms alligator and crocodile being used interchangeably, it’s this Floridian’s duty to differentiate between the two. Alligators are blackish/grey in color and possess a wider jaw. Plus, they prefer to hang out in fresh water and are seen as less aggressive. Crocodiles, on the other hand, are lighter in color, boast V-shaped snouts and are seen as the more aggressive ones. Their teeth along the lower jaw are still visible when the mouth is closed.

Pro tip, you should probably avoid both if you like your limbs intact. 

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