Only a small group of people were lucky enough or depending on how you feel about alligators, unlucky enough, to see the massive, prehistoric beast Sunday.
It moseys its way across the walking path before slipping back into the swamp at the nature preserve in Lakeland.
Kristi Buckley snapped these pictures and watched it happen from just feet away.
“I probably should've been a little more afraid than I was. I was just so inspired by seeing this amazing creature come across the path who'd obviously been there for decades,” she said.
In fact, it's been there so long, the regulars call it “Mr. Humpback." Kristi has a different name for it.
“My husband and I are calling him Godzilla because that's kind of what he looked like coming across the path,” she said.
A wildlife expert estimates the gator could be up to 15 feet long and weigh more than 800 pounds.
Circle B Bar Reserve was packed Monday as millions of people have seen the video on social media and some of them came here to get a glimpse of the gargantuan gator in person.