NEW AT FOUR. AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY INTO A VIRAL VIDEO WHICH SHOWS A WOMAN PETTING AN ALLIGATOR. WESH TWO HAS CONFIRMED FWC IS LOOKING INTO IT, WHICH WAS THE VIDEO, WHICH WAS SHOT AT A STATE PARK IN MARION COUNTY. WESH 2 NEWS AVERY EVERETT BREAKS DOWN WHAT WE KNOW. I FIRST SAW IT ON FACEBOOK. SOMEONE HAD SHARED IT. DID YOU GET THAT? YEAH, I GOT IT. JOSHUA SWANDER SAYS HE WANTED TO SPEAK UP AFTER SEEING THAT VIDEO SHOWING A WOMAN PETTING AN ALLIGATOR OUT IN THE WILD. THEY ARE APEX PREDATORS. WE NEED TO RESPECT THEM WHEN WE’RE IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT. SWANDER IS A WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER AND IS KNOWN ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS FLORIDA GUY JOSH. HE SAYS THE TOURS HE OFTEN TAKES PEOPLE ON ARE AT SILVER SPRING STATE PARK, AND THAT’S WHERE THE LOCATION IS TAGGED. OF THE VIDEO THAT’S NOW GOTTEN MORE THAN 2.1 MILLION VIEWS ON TIKTOK AND HAS BEEN REPOSTED ACROSS THE INTERNET. SO I UNDERSTAND THE ORIGINAL VIDEO HIMSELF TO CALL FOR AN INVESTIGATION FROM THE FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION. NOT ONLY ARE THEY PUTTING THEMSELVES AT RISK, BUT ALSO THEY’RE PUTTING THEIR LIVES AT RISK OF THE FUTURE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE OUT THERE. IN AN EMAIL STATEMENT SENT TO WESH TWO NEWS, A SPOKESPERSON FOR FWC SAYS WE ARE AWARE OF THE VIDEO. IT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO US SEVERAL TIMES. AN OFFICER HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO HANDLE THE INVESTIGATION AND IT IS CURRENTLY ONGOING. AT THIS TIME, FWC SAYS IT’S ILLEGAL TO FEED, ENTICE OR CAPTURE ALLIGATORS IN OUR STATE EXCEPT FOR PERMITTED HUNTERS OR TRAPPERS DURING ALLIGATOR HUNTING SEASON. FOLLOWING THOSE ATTACKS, TO NOW HAVE THIS HAPPEN, I THINK IS A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR THE AGENCIES IN CHARGE THAT MORE OR LESS KIND OF REGULATE THIS TYPE OF STUFF. I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD BE A TEACHING MOMENT FOR THEM. AS FWC INVESTIGATES, SWANDER SAYS, THERE’S ONE THING PEOPLE ACROSS FLORIDA HAVE TO REMEMBER ABOUT ALLIGATORS. THEY’RE NOT OUT THERE FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT. LIKE IT’S A PRIVILEGE THAT WE GET TO GO OUT INTO THEIR HOME
FWC investigating viral video of woman seen petting alligator in Silver Springs
Updated: 6:43 PM EDT Jul 9, 2026
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is aware of a video on social media that shows a woman petting an alligator and is now investigating. The video has accumulated 2.1 million views on TikTok and has been reposted across the internet. Its tagged location is Silver Springs State Park in Marion County. FWC said an officer has been assigned to the case after multiple reports. Joshua Swander is a wildlife photographer and is known on social media as @FloridaGuideJosh. He reposted part of the video to call for accountability. “Not only are they putting themselves at risk, but also they’re putting the lives at risk of future people who are gonna be out there,” he said in the video. In an interview with WESH 2 News, Swander said he wants locals and tourists to remember how to treat alligators.”Following (recent) attacks and to now have this happen, I think it’s a really good opportunity for the agencies… this should be a teaching moment,” Swander said. FWC said it is against the law to feed, entice, or capture alligators in Florida except for permitted hunters or trappers during alligator hunting season. The investigation is currently ongoing.
MARION COUNTY, Fla. —
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is aware of a video on social media that shows a woman petting an alligator and is now investigating.
The video has accumulated 2.1 million views on TikTok and has been reposted across the internet. Its tagged location is Silver Springs State Park in Marion County. FWC said an officer has been assigned to the case after multiple reports.
Joshua Swander is a wildlife photographer and is known on social media as @FloridaGuideJosh. He reposted part of the video to call for accountability.
“Not only are they putting themselves at risk, but also they’re putting the lives at risk of future people who are gonna be out there,” he said in the video.
In an interview with WESH 2 News, Swander said he wants locals and tourists to remember how to treat alligators.
“Following (recent) attacks and to now have this happen, I think it’s a really good opportunity for the agencies… this should be a teaching moment,” Swander said.
FWC said it is against the law to feed, entice, or capture alligators in Florida except for permitted hunters or trappers during alligator hunting season. The investigation is currently ongoing.