Western Broward residents share images of Everglades wildlife in their neighborhoods

WESTON, Florida – Rosa Sordo wants residents of western Broward County to be wary of hidden predators and take extra steps to protect their children and pets.

Sordo couldn’t believe the size of an alligator she recently saw in Weston, a suburban town bordered by the Florida Everglades to the north and west.

Sordo recently recorded video of an alligator crossing South Post Road, east of the Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area. She shared it to raise awareness.

“It was from Weston Hills,” Sordo said, referring to the area’s popular golf club lakes.

North of Weston, in Tamarac, a town bordered by the Everglades to the west, Jorge Liloy shared another video, so pet owners can be wary of coyotes. He feared for the safety of his dogs.

“I see this thing eating the iguana. He ate the iguana and he didn’t move, ”said Liloy of his encounter near Northwest 83rd Street, south of the Stranahan River.

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Green iguanas, like the Burmese python, are an invasive species in Florida. Xianming Zeng shared a photo of a fox he saw along Windmill Lakes Road.

“He was standing there looking very relaxed,” Zeng said.

The Broward County Florida Department of Health reported on Friday that a fox found in Weston had tested positive for rabies.

Authorities have issued a 60-day rabies alert for the area in Weston Hills Drive, Southwest 196th Avenue, North Ridge Drive and Griffin Road.

Aside from Weston and Tamarac, there have also been reports of wildlife in Margate, Davie, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, Dania Beach, and Hallandale Beach.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials recommend that residents keep their distance and avoid feeding or confronting animals. To report an alligator nuisance, call the FWC hotline at 1-866-392-4286.

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More safety tips

Do not feed the wildlife

Feeding wildlife of any kind will eventually make the animal aggressive. Human-fed alligators and crocodiles can associate humans with food. Keep a distance of at least 15 feet.

Supervise small children

Keep small children close, especially around bodies of water. Be even more careful at night. Alligators and crocodiles are most active at night and mostly hunt from dusk to dawn.

Protect pets and service animals

Wildlife, such as alligators and crocodiles, may perceive animals like small dogs as prey. Try to walk your pet during the day. Pets must be kept on a leash of a maximum length of 6 feet at all times. Do not leave animals unattended. Avoid leaving pet food or dishes outside overnight.

Don’t harass wildlife

While alligators can look like a statue at times, they can react like lightning fast. Touching an alligator or throwing things at it is never a good idea.

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Sources: Everglades National Park, FWC on pets, and FWC on alligators.