A man in the US state of Florida captured an alligator with a garbage can and made it famous for the Internet.
A video that shows Eugene Bozzi (26) catching the 1.80 meter long reptile quickly became a hit online. The 26-year-old Army veteran took courageous action in the nearby Orlando community of Mount Dora when the alligator roamed the neighborhood.
“My daughter was riding a bike and said: ‘Hey, that big alligator just hissed at me,” Bozzi told the New York Post. His “military instincts” to protect other people would have kicked in.
Saw the animal back away
The video shows Bozzi knocking over a large garbage can and pushing the opening towards the alligator. Then he hits the animal on the head with the lid of the garbage can. “I used the opening like the mouth of a hippopotamus,” Bozzi told USA Today. “I saw him get shy and back away, and that’s when I knew I had an advantage.”
To the cheers of onlookers, Bozzi finally succeeded in catching the alligator flapping around with its tail, raising the garbage can and closing it. He then pushed the barrel to a nearby pond and released the visibly confused animal into freedom.
Don’t just pick up the garbage can, but pick up the phone
“I don’t know the procedures, so I did it my way,” Bozzi told WESH TV. “I was scared when I had him inside (in the garbage can) because he was so strong,” the 26-year-old reported. “He tried to push out and thrashed his tail.”
Bozzi was celebrated on the internet for his brave efforts. Florida’s fisheries and environmental authorities warned that in such a case it would be better to call a game warden. «Are you worried about an alligator? Do not pick up a garbage can, but call our hotline », wrote the authority in the short message service Twitter. “We can send a REAL alligator catcher.” (AFP)