A fisherman has captured video of an alligator pursuing a black bear as it swam across Florida's Kissimmee River. The unusual wildlife encounter occurred near Lake Okeechobee.
Captain Justin Morgan, who operates a fishing guide service, recorded the scene while bluegill fishing. The footage shows a black bear swimming across the river, with an alligator following closely behind. Morgan initially mistook the bear for a wild hog from a distance.
"Alligator tracking down a bear across the Kissimmee river near Lake Okeechobee," Morgan captioned the video. He described the event as "really cool to watch" and not something typically observed.
The alligator appeared to lose interest in the chase once the bear reached the shore. The bear then proceeded into the woods, seemingly unconcerned by the alligator's presence.
The interaction raises questions about the dynamics between these two predators in the wild. While bears have been known to fend off alligators in water, the outcome of such encounters can vary. In this instance, the alligator did not pursue the bear onto land.