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Just when you thought there was nothing safer than playing a game of golf on a sunny day on Kiawah Island in South Carolina, you came across a giant alligator.
In a new viral video, a massive alligator on a golf course stops players dead in their tracks, as this reptile looks like a prehistoric dinosaur; it’s so big!
Viewers may even believe dinosaurs still roam the Earth after checking out this video.
The alligator is just casually sauntering across the golf course, minding its own business, but it is quite a sight to see!
The theme from Jurassic Park playing in the video really adds to the drama.
Related: Sandhill Crane Confronted a Huge Alligator in Florida —Then Did Something Unexpected
Why Do Alligators Look Like Living Dinosaurs?
This alligator, with its remarkable size, really did look like a dinosaur, so we have to ask, are these reptiles descendants of dinosaurs?
The answer is complex, but the answer is also no.
Alligators, as well as crocodiles, share an ancestor with dinosaurs called the archosaur that lived about 250 million years ago. However, then that lineage split into two, with one leading to dinosaurs and then their bird descendants, and the other, crocadilians, leading to crocodiles and alligators as we know them today.
So though they didn’t technically evolve from dinosaurs, alligators do share some innate traits with them, which is why they sometimes resemble those prehistoric creatures.
After all, alligators have armored skin, powerful jaws, and muscular tails like dinosaurs.
They can also be quite sizeable. An American male alligator can grow to over 13 feet long and weigh hundreds of pounds.
Alligators have also been around for at least 150 million years! That’s pretty darn old!
Why Are Alligators Often Seen on Golf Courses?
As for why alligators are often spotted on golf courses, it’s quite an oasis for them.
Many courses are built near wetlands where these gators often live, like ponds and lakes.
With golf courses providing food (such as fish, turtles, and birds), water, and shade, why wouldn’t they hang out there?
And this alligator clearly didn’t mind running into a few golfers!
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This story was originally published by Parade Pets on Jun 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.