Alligator emerges from pond to chase fisherman in wild video: 'Alligators are faster than you think'

HILTON HEAD, S.C. - An alligator emerged from a pond and chased down a fisherman in a wild scene that unfolded in South Carolina last week. 

Bystander Micah Kimberlin was biking with his family when he spotted the gator popping out of the water and making its way onto a sidewalk in Hilton Head, he told Storyful. In the video, the big fella rose out of the water and chased the fisherman, who promptly ran away to the tune of onlookers' shrieks and screams. 

People nearby continued to walk closer to the alligator as it stayed in place after spooking the fisherman, but Kimberlin said he tried to get them to back up. 

The gator made its way back into the water. 

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"We had been telling our 9-year-old son that alligators are faster than you think they are and to stay away from the ponds. But even I didn’t realize just how fast they are," Kimberlin told Storyful. "As we rode off in shock from what we’d just seen he said, ‘Well, I believe you now.'" 

What to do to reduce the chances of conflict with alligators

The FWC provided the following safety tips when it comes to coming into contact and preventing conflicts with alligators:

• Keep a safe distance if you see an alligator
• Keep pets on a leash and away from the water's edge
• Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and without your pet
• Never feed an alligator (it's illegal – and dangerous)

If you're concerned about an alligator, contact FWC's Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR.