10-foot gator surprises beachgoers at St. Simons Island East Beach

Usually, it’s a shark sighting that sounds the alarm at any beach.

But it was a 10-foot alligator Memorial Day weekend at St. Simons Island East Beach, the Brunswick News reported.

The fresh-water reptile, estimated to be at least 80 years of age, was probably washed into the ocean by recent high tides, the newspaper reported.

Hundreds gathered to watch the removal of the reptile by an alligator nuisance specialist dispatched from Jesup. Unfortunately, it was a sad end for the alligator, who was to be killed because of the likelihood it would return to the beach, the newspaper reported.

There was a happier ending for an alligator discovered just after sunrise April 24 near the walking track by the ballfields at Central City Park in Macon.

Macon-Bibb County Animal Welfare, with the help of Bibb sheriff’s Deputy Clay Williams, captured and released the alligator in a remote swamp area.

Last week, Robins Air Force Base posted tips on Facebook on how to coexist with alligators that are common in bodies of water on base.

The best advice is keep a safe distance, don’t feed the alligators and report any odd behavior, according to the post.

Alligators have a natural fear of people. But a signal that something is seriously amiss is if an alligator seems interested in, or approaches, people unprovoked.

Children and pets should be kept away from the bodies of water on base and swimming is prohibited, the post said.

The post also notes that nuisance alligators are killed — not relocated.

This story was originally published June 1, 2017 at 10:37 AM with the headline "10-foot gator surprises beachgoers at St. Simons Island East Beach."