Battle to the Death Between Bobcat and Alligator Captured in Dramatic Footage

A dramatic battle to the death between a bobcat and a baby alligator has been viewed nearly 2 million times since it was uploaded on an online message board.

The stunning clip was shared on Reddit message board r/gifs by user u/terminal_mole on Monday and quickly drew significant attention among the group's 23 million members.

Footage showed the bobcat and alligator facing down on a patio near a woodland at an unknown location.

Within seconds, the bobcat teased the snarling alligator with a paw slap before doubling back to avoid the reptile's sharp teeth.

Gaining confidence with subsequent strikes, the bobcat continued his barrage of swipes—eventually pulling the small alligator to the edge of the patio and into the grass.

Once firmly inside the patch of grass, the bobcat danced around the alligator and did not let up in its attacks.

Meanwhile, the small alligator continued to threaten the bobcat with its razor-sharp teeth and at one point appeared to lunge toward its larger foe.

As the person holding the camera zoomed in on both animals, they both ducked into the grass.

But, as the bobcat lifted his head up from the grass, there was no doubt that he was the victor of the deadly battle.

Clutching the baby alligator between its teeth, the bobcat then scans its surroundings to make sure it was safe.

Since being uploaded, the video has been viewed more than 1.7 million times and has been upvoted on some 40,000 occasions.

Newsweek has contacted u/terminal_mole for comment.

While the small alligator lost its battle against the bobcat, the fact it ended up near a home is no coincidence at all.

In October, Alabama residents expressed their shock when they noticed an alligator crawl out of a storm drain in a nearby apartment complex.

In Florida, a video of a man trapping a large hissing alligator inside a trash can went viral after it was uploaded last month.

Eugene Bozzi, 36, an army veteran from Philadelphia, was hailed as a hero when others saw the nail-biting footage.

According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, in order to avoid dangerous encounters with alligators, follow these instructions:

• When you spot an alligator, retreat to about 30 feet away
• If an alligator hisses at you start to back away as it is a warning
• A female may charge if you are close to its nest but will return of you leave the area
• Keep pets away from the water's edge when close to a body of water
• Do not fish near an alligator if you spot them
• Do not feed alligators as they may associate food with humans
• Tell a park employee if an alligator comes towards you, especially if it comes out from the water