PARKLAND, Fla. – An alligator was found Monday night on the front porch of a woman's home in Parkland.
A neighbor's mother was walking by Elena Avello's home about 6 p.m. when she spotted a large gator on the front porch.
The neighbor called Avello to warn her not to go outside.
"My next door neighbor called me and said that her mom was warned -- she was walking home from her house -- and her mom was warned by a driver that there was an alligator in my yard," Avello told Local 10 News.
Avello said she first called the Broward Sheriff's Office and was instructed to call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
She said FWC officers arrived at her home within 30 minutes and bound the gator's mouth before hauling it away.
It's unclear where the gator was taken.
Avello believes the gator was between 5 feet and 6 feet long.
FWC officials said it's possible that the gator came from a nearby construction site, but local experts said gators are often found wandering during this time of year, looking for love.
"The gators are looking for love, like everyone else," Cpt. Jim Leljedal, of Sawgrass Recreation Park, said. "The males start to look for territories. The females start to wander around. They're think about mating and making their nest."
While it's unclear whether the gator was a male or female, experts said those who live near gator habitats should be cautious and call professionals if they spot one.