meunierd/Shutterstock
After the coronavirus, visiting fast-food restaurants seems like a blessing. However, recent customers found themselves in quite a pickle at their favorite drive-thru: two alligators decided to chill at the restaurant parking lots!
Alligators Visit The Restaurant
leesheriff/Twitter
Usually, there are no alligators at Wendy's. But, on the most recent Monday, things changed drastically for guests and employees of a Wendy's in Lehigh Acres, Florida. As the Lee County Sheriff's Department later explained, a massive alligator quite literally "chased pedestrians through a Wendy's parking lot." Thankfully, employees were on top of it, immediately calling the authorities. "He may have just been 'hangry' for a cheeseburger, but he gave many quite the scare," the Department continued in the statement. After a short struggle, "alongside [the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission] we wrangled the gator and safely relocated it."
After saving the alligator, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission took a few measurements. Afterward, they and those in the fast-food parking lot were right to feel worried. It came in at just over 7 feet! Thankfully, now, it's living on an alligator farm, minding its own business. But, believe it or not, soon enough, another gator walked into a different parking lot, posing the same threat!
Two Different Parking Lots
HendersonTXPD/Facebook
Just a few days later, another alligator decided to visit a restaurant. Who can blame them? They are finally back open! Two days later, at Jucy's Taco in Henderson, Texas. Thankfully, within an hour, Henderson PD Support Services Captain Brian Bathke made his way to Jucy's to save the alligator. This gator came in at a whopping eight feet long! Unlike the other one, this massive animal simply relaxed in the sun, not chasing anyone. Still, the gator certainly stopped many from entering the establishment. "Several of us got to help, and I will tell you that was absolutely terrifying," Bathke said.
While it remained calm for a while, the alligator did toss and turn when Texas Game Warden Kirk Permenter started putting ropes around it. "If that wasn't exciting enough, at that point that is when several of us held onto it and they literally get on it from the top. And he managed to get ahold of it and do all the little tricks you see. And then we actually used electrical tape to safely tape his mouth shut," Bathke said. Once they placed the tape on, everything became far safer. Even better, no officers nor the wildlife suffered any injuries!
To those that live in areas with dangerous wildlife, take care. Summer often means that they will come out for a little bit of sun!
Sources: Food And Wine, KLTV, The Takeout.
