Last weekend, a boater in Georgia’s Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge came across a swarm of alligators, but he wasn’t deterred. Marty Welch recorded the moment his boat ran into a huge herd of gators on the way to Billy’s Lake. Instead of turning around, Welch decided to slowly pass through.
In the video, Welch and his companion express their shock after seeing just how many gators are in the channel ahead of them. Welch seems confident that the boat can make it through and that the alligators won’t hurt them. His companion doesn’t seem as confident.
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge shared the video to its Facebook page and explained why there were so many alligators in one place.
“This behavior is not a regular occurrence but it’s completely normal in times of low water levels when their food sources are more concentrated,” the refuge said in the video’s caption. “If you ever encounter a large number of alligators like this, the best thing to do is give them plenty of space to get away.”
As Welch’s boat slowly moves through the crowded area, the alligators begin to submerge and get out of the way. There’s a bunch of splashing and some bumps, too.
Right before the video cuts off, Welch exclaims: “Might want to sit down!”
Watch a boat pass through a swarm of alligators here:
Okefenokee says there hasn’t been an alligator attack at the refuge in its long, 87-year history.
Would you pass through or get outta there?