A recent video shows a poor alligator getting swallowed by a trash can.
The now viral video was first posted to Instagram on Sept. 28 by Orlando resident and Army veteran Abdul Gene Malik, who added “I got kids to protect lol.... Army strong shit.”
The video presumably shows Malik wearing socks and Adidas slides and going after the clearly agitated alligator with a waste management receptacle. The clip ends with the gator trapped in the trash can, and it’s unclear what happens next or if it was relocated.
Creative Loafing Tampa Bay reached out to Malik for comment, and we’ll update this post if there’s a response.
One thing is for certain, this is certainly not how to approach an alligator. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, roughly 1.3 million gators live in the state and inhabit all 67 Florida counties. If you see one, says the FWC, you can contact the Nuisance Alligator Hotline, toll-free at 1-866-FWC-GATOR (392- 4286), and the agency will then send a professional trapper.
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