Watch: Alligator nabs angler’s catch with astonishing speed

A Florida angler hooked and landed an impressive fish recently, but a super-speedy alligator raced ashore and stole his catch.

The accompanying footage shows the fish striking a lure and the alligator speeding after the fish as it’s being reeled toward shore. The gator pauses briefly as the fish is pulled onto land, then follows the fish out of frame.

Moments later, the gator reappears with its prize.

“WOW! Check out this gator quickly lunge out of the water to steal a fish for an easy dinner in Estero, Florida,” Matt Devitt of WINK News exclaimed Wednesday via X, crediting the footage to Gavin Borsky.

It’s unclear if Borsky staged the scene. But the footage reveals how swiftly alligators can maneuver: up to 20 mph in the water and 11 mph on land.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission , alligators are opportunistic predators that commonly feed on fish.

Apparently, this gator has discovered, a hooked fish is easier to catch than a free-swimming fish.

–Alligator image courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission