Miami-Dade, FL - A Northeast Miami-Dade neighborhood is on edge after a crocodile was spotted outside a home twice in two weeks, raising concerns about the reptiles venturing too close to residents.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office responded to the home near Northeast 209th Street and 23rd Avenue after receiving reports of the large reptile.
Bodycam footage captured deputies advising residents to keep their distance as they investigated the scene.
Gil Kochavi, whose parents own the home, said they were initially unaware of the reason for the commotion until reviewing their surveillance footage.
“We started looking at the surveillance, and then we see this very, very large crocodile right in the yard,” Kochavi told WSVN.
This wasn’t the first visit from the reptilian guest.
Footage from a few weeks earlier had captured what appeared to be the same crocodile at the doorstep.
Despite the chilly weather potentially driving the crocodile to explore new territory, the close encounters have left neighbors uneasy.
The area features a central lake, which residents acknowledge has long been home to at least three crocodiles.
However, recent incidents suggest the reptiles are venturing closer to homes.
Surveillance footage captured the crocodile resting near bushes for hours before eventually retreating to the lake.
While crocodiles are a known feature of the area, their increasing proximity to human activity has sparked concerns.