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the unnamed scientist attempting to straddle the reptile’s head after throwing a towel over its eyes.

But the crocodile spins around snapping at the man and briefly latching on to his right arm.

The scientist falls over and kicks out at the crocodile but then manages to scramble away.

The highway was closed while police and wildlife authorities assessed the situation.

Biologist Robert Norville was at the scene with North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission to help move the reptile.

“We had to coax him, get him to move somewhere flat where we could have the advantage,” Mr Norville said.

“We were able to tie him up, secure his jaw closed. From there, it all went well.”

The alligator was relocated to a swamp outside Carteret County.

The scientist’s employer Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium said he was recovering after being treated for his injuries at hospital.

A cute little sea turtle is flailing its little fins/legs, making good time across the beach to get to the ocean. The camera pulls back and all of the sudden a bird flies into the shot and scoops up the baby sea turtle and flies off.

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TIL: Praying mantiseses are extremely tough and very stupid

03MAY2012 – Casselberry, FL

Thomas Swiader wasn’t sure what had happened.

Swiader, who works for Coca-Cola, was fishing in his kayak near Lake Triplet in Casselberry when a large alligator took a swipe at him and his girlfriends dog Buffy, a small yorkie.

Swiader, 26, from Fall River, Mass, has lived in Florida just four months.

“To tell you the truth, when I saw the splash, what I thought was, ‘what’s a striper (bass) doing down here’,” Swiader said. “Then I saw the tail of gator swim under the kayak, then I knew what it was. After that my reaction was to get out of there.”

In the video you can see the gator launching itself at the kayak, there is also a slow motion that clearly shows the attack.

“I had the dog with me and you can see it swimming after the attack [on the left hand side of the video],” Swiader added. “It got knocked in the water from the attack, the gator really whacked us hard. I felt a tug on my leg and realized it was the leash, I got the dog back in quickly. I think it [the dog] may have made the gator curious.”

Asked if he would be out kayaking any time soon Swiader said:

“It makes me question fishing and sitting still, that’s for sure. If I’m in the kayak, I’m going to be moving. I’m counting my blessings on that one.”

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