Why we look under cars in Florida: Alligator found napping under van at Rockledge business

Employees at Ellingson Properties in Rockledge were shocked when they found an alligator napping under one of their vehicles.

The alligator was discovered Monday afternoon when an employee went to leave for a break.

“All of sudden a coworker came running in saying, 'There’s an alligator under my car!'" said Katie Calvert, who was at the office assisting her mom, the manager of Ellingson Properties. “He seemed pretty tired and wanted to nap, which is why he kept going under our cars.”

Calvert shot video of the reptile under a large, white van. In the video, someone slowly drives the van out of the parking space and the alligator can be seen walking onto a paved walkway.

Calvert's mom, Tish Calvert, also is visible in the video, holding a tool in case the alligator makes a wrong turn.

"We have dealt with cats and critters around the office before as we’re right behind the woods, but never this," Tish Calvert said.

The alligator walks into some landscaping before the roughly one-minute video ends. Katie Calvert said the animal eventually made its way back to a nearby wildlife area.

It's alligator mating season, which means you may see them in more places in Florida

Courtships between gators — yes, the reptiles have a courting process — begins in April. The relationship is taken to the next level, mating, in May or June. That’s followed by building nests and laying eggs in late June or early July.

If all goes as planned, baby gators make their appearance in late August or early September.

During this time period, alligators are more visible and active. It seems at least once a month a gator is spotted interrupting a golf game.

But they’ve also gotten more brazen. Last April an eight-foot alligator was removed from a swimming pool in Viera.

Earlier this month, another eight-foot alligator found its way into a home in Venice .

Safety tips: How to stay safe around alligators in Florida

Remember, alligators may always be present near any body of water in Florida, especially fresh or brackish water. Pay attention to your surroundings whenever you are near any body of water.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation offered these tips to stay safe:

• Closely supervise children when they are playing in or around water.
• Never swim outside of posted swimming areas.
• Don't wade in waters where large alligators are known or likely to occur.
• Swim only during daylight hours. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn.
• Do not allow pets to swim, exercise or drink in or near waters that may contain alligators or in designated swimming areas with humans. Dogs are more susceptible to being bitten than humans because dogs resemble the natural prey of alligators. The sound of dogs barking and playing may draw an alligator to the area.
• Never feed or entice alligators — it is dangerous and illegal. When fed, alligators overcome their natural wariness and associate people with food.
• Inform others that feeding alligators is illegal and creates problems for others who want to recreate in or near the water.
• Dispose of fish scraps in garbage cans at boat ramps and fish camps — do not throw them in the water.
• Observe and photograph alligators only from a safe distance.
• Leave alligators alone. State law prohibits killing, harassing or possessing alligators except under permit.
• Never remove an alligator from its natural habitat or accept one as a pet. It is illegal and dangerous to do so. Handling even small alligators can result in injury.

Contributing reporting: Cheryl McCloud , Treasure Coast Newspapers

Spitzer is a Trending Reporter. She can be reached at MSpitzer@floridatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Why we look under cars in Florida: Alligator found napping under van at Rockledge business