12-foot alligator sat waiting at family’s front door, North Carolina police say

An extremely nosy alligator was found sitting on the porch of a coastal North Carolina home, peeping through the glass storm door, photos show.

It happened around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday in Southport, and a 911 caller initially reported the reptile was in the driveway, Southport police reported in an April 14 Facebook post.

“Officers arrived and the alligator made it to the porch of a nearby home,” police said.

A photo shows the alligator was strategically positioned to trip anyone who stepped outside without looking down. Police didn’t say how the homeowners reacted to the sight.

“With the assistance of North Carolina Wildlife Officers, the 12-foot alligator was safely captured and is being relocated,” police said.

It took an hour and five people (three wildlife officers and two police officers) to catch the alligator. State wildlife officers aren’t sure where it came from, but it is being released in Green Swamp, officials said.

By some counts, the gator was more like 10 to 11 feet in length, state officials said.

“As summer time approaches and temperatures rise, alligators become more active and can find themselves in areas such as up against homes, on porches, under cars, etc. while they are on the move,” Master Officer Alexander W. Holbrook of N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission told The Charlotte Observer.

Alligators are native to the state’s coastal counties, where they are affectionately known as “swamp puppies.” Males can reach 13 feet and 500 pounds in North Carolina, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission reports.

Consensus on social media is that the family involved in the incident should move.

“Oh I would have gave him the whole house,” Tamiko Davis wrote on Facebook.

Southport is about a 160-mile drive southeast from downtown Raleigh.

This story was originally published April 15, 2026 at 6:24 AM with the headline "12-foot alligator sat waiting at family’s front door, North Carolina police say."