Watch: Giant alligator’s ‘death roll’ defies North Carolina deputies in struggle

LELAND, N.C. (WNCN) — As the weather warms up, alligators are making their presence known in North Carolina.

This week at the coast, deputies near Wilmington had to remove a large gator from the main highway twice in one night.

The incidents took place Monday along U.S. 17 South near the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, just outside Wilmington, according to the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office.

Several drivers called to report a large alligator was “hanging out in the roadway,” deputies said.

Photos and a video clip were released showing a 13-foot alligator near a guardrail on the side of the highway.

Images showed deputies working during daylight hours to move the alligator, and video that night showed officers returning to haul the gator away again. In the video, the alligator became angry and did a so-called “death roll” which it typically used to kill prey.

“Thankfully, the alligator was saved from traffic on the highway and those traveling the highway were saved from the gator!” deputies said in a news release.

This isn’t the first time alligators have blocked traffic in North Carolina. A large gator blocked a road in Brunswick County back in 2015 and a huge alligator closed a Wilmington road in 2019 .

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