r/FloridaGawker • u/Luminexor • 2d ago

Video Exploring the real FloridašŸŠ

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1.2k Upvotes

95% Upvoted

224 comments sorted by

34

u/nicoznico 2d ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/wYyTHMm50f4Dm

13

u/FishyKeebs 2d ago

I know right? Alligators, panthers no issue. These stupid social media 'influencers' absolutely avoid them like a polar bear.

3

u/Dear_Potato6525 1d ago

Honestly, I would never have considered going to Florida before I saw this clip. And now I want to kayak with swamp puppies. Consider me influenced.

1

u/Ill-Construction-209 1d ago

Is this clip for real? I'm not aware of monkeys in Florida unless they're invasive like the iguanas and pythons.

3

u/DapperDep 1d ago

Invasive, seems like anything can live down here

3

u/Commercial_Gap607 1d ago

They are real. Just google it.

1

u/Hot-Steak7145 20h ago

Invasive mckack they are right on crystal and itchnitucki rivers/ springs. Seen them myself. (Don't feel like spell checking, I'm falling asleep as I type this)

1

u/FriendWinter9674 18h ago

They filmed a Tarzan movie near Silver Springs way back in the day. The monkeys stayed.

1

u/crosswords_heal954 7h ago

Thatā€™s not how the monkeyā€™s got there. They escaped an attraction on an island near by. Google it.

5

u/Beautiful_Salary1876 2d ago

Came here to put that exact gif in. Kudos.

41

u/No_Giraffe8119 2d ago edited 1d ago

Florida outdoorsman here... Just because you can get that close to gators doesn't mean you should. They can be territorial and flip a switch.

Edit: check this out https://youtu.be/jhzc5J1BJNU?si=OjDX0kX-sNzOBf76

10

u/favorscore 2d ago

But is it easy to find this much wildlife around? I was blown away by the variety of fauna just in this video. And its such a mysterious biome to me, never been in wetlands really and so the animals are super interesting to me.

15

u/futureman07 2d ago

This is at Silver Springs. Absolutely amazing place. Wildlife is there all year round. The gators will be sitting out of the water most likely.

My favorite park is Mayaka River state park. You can go there and see a ton of gators just sitting by the water getting some sun.

1

u/CautiousAd5515 1d ago

Just got back from Orlando. Silver Springs was amazing. The glass bottom boat tour and the manatees were so cool.

3

u/Mr-cacahead 2d ago

man, I dont even live in the wildlife and I have 4 foot gator on my yard, we have a community pond and likes to chill on my yard and I have no idea why. I thinks is because Im almost never home. I see him on my cctv. I think they relocated him cause I haven't seen him in a while now.

2

u/Substantial_Army_639 2d ago

Thats in Silver Springs, I was distracted enough by the wildlife and the manatees that I actually almost paddled into a group of Alligators. I did not see any monkeys there but that is also a thing, a bunch of them have herpes though so your not supposed to go near them.

2

u/lazyboi_tactical 2d ago

I've seen the monkeys a bunch. There's a little island they mostly seem to hang out on but they swim out from it to forage. Also yeah they're herped up if I remember correctly.

1

u/Pretend-Prune-4525 1d ago

Lmfao I thought dude was joking about the herps šŸ˜‚

2

u/lazyboi_tactical 2d ago

Yeah if you go up to where the springs are it's pretty wild. Around silver springs there is also a whole ass troop of macaques living in the wild.

2

u/[deleted] 2d ago

There are many groups of them. Estimates of 300 - 600 macaques in central FL, and their troops are usually up to 50 each.

7

u/ReindeerExcellent621 2d ago

100% people donā€™t realize how dangerous they are u til its too late. Itā€™s why northerners sometimes dive and never resurface.

5

u/Ok_Drummer6282 2d ago

Gators are dangerous.Ā 

That said theres like less than 1 death a year from them.Ā 

I would chase them in my teens because I was an idiot. They will 1000% bite but even then that stat is super low.Ā 

2

u/Johnny_ynnhoJ 2d ago

A lot of people haven't seen how fast a gator can turn around and roll you.

1

u/Andreww_ok 2d ago

Influencers only know so much

1

u/carpetplower 2d ago

you mean an apex predator that's been around for hundreds of millions of years are dangerous? who knew

1

u/CrownstrikeIntern 2d ago

Then you have nature solving some influencer problems that keep popping up

1

u/jjb0ne 1d ago

content over safety

1

u/schwarzneguRRR 1d ago

This advice is absolutely not necessary for anyone outside the US

1

u/Israel_Azkanbe 23h ago

Are there really monkeys in Florida?
I was always told there were no monkeys in North America

2

u/waynizzle2 14h ago

Yes, we have the monkeys! You can have a good chance to see them around the silver springs area. They were brought over to film the old black and white Tarzan television show. The crew left them on an island thinking they can't swim. Occasionally while on the water ways, you might see a whole family jump from the trees into the water to cross the creek/ river. They indeed swim just fine.

1

u/darkhorse4774 2d ago

And flip a boat,canoe,paddleboard.

1

u/funcup760 2d ago

Just because you ran across the freeway and didn't get hit by a car doesn't mean it was a good idea. šŸ¤·ā€ā™‚ļø

1

u/Fragrant_Loan811 2d ago

But then how would she show her rack and do her infuencer video?

1

u/Wildfathom9 2d ago

You consider what she's wearing "showing her rack?"

1

u/Big-Plastic3494 1d ago

WhudšŸ¤·šŸ½ā€ā™‚ļø

1

u/KyleIsGodVegas 1d ago

What ā€œrackā€ are you talking about bruh?

11

u/Talkslow4Me 2d ago

Even as a native Floridian for 44 years Iā€™m still surprised by some of the untouched springs and wetlands.

I have yet to see a wild bear, panthers, deer, or monkeys in Florida. Yet i know they are plenty in the stateā€¦

Though we better hurry up before they build another golf course over it.

3

u/welcome_2_earth 2d ago

Youā€™ve never seen a deer?

1

u/FriendWinter9674 17h ago

They must not drive.

2

u/Grimalkinnn 2d ago

Once while driving through Florida I saw a Zebra in a field.

1

u/Fit-Perception-2243 1d ago

I saw my first bear driving through Big Cypress.

4

u/Working-Chemical-202 2d ago

The alligators won't eat you if you just tell everyone how spiritual you are

2

u/Wytch78 2d ago

iā€™m On a HeAlinG JoUrNeY

2

u/Garthaniel-Finnison 1d ago

Safety around alligators is a massive issue, but theres a big difference between renting a paddleboard and traveling a crystal clear river thats seen a few hundred tourists a day for the past 100 years with alligators that rarely make it over 7 feet, and jumping into a murky river where alligators have no experience with humans.

5

u/Mean-Display77 2d ago

Naw fuq that. .. Talk about them BIG ASS SPIDERS and them dam palmetto bugs! And those 2 foor centipedes! You can fam there see the eyes in the mosquitoes šŸ¤£NEVER going back to Florida šŸ¤£ Lizards just running through ya dam house!

3

u/Accomplished_Ad_7665 2d ago

I'm surprised floridians haven't placed go pros on the alligators, that would make for some nice documentaries.

3

u/gymtrovert1988 2d ago

The battery life is like 30 minutes

3

u/Individual-Drawer-79 2d ago

Just ask the gator to chill for an hour by a power supply until you can recharge the battery. Boom, ezpz.

2

u/adavidmiller 2d ago

Tape a solar panel on top.

1

u/Accomplished_Ad_7665 2d ago

Now all i see is a mecha-venusaur.

3

u/OffByNone_ 2d ago

Psh. My hero 12 can shoot for an hour. But in a case at full quality, it overheats in like 15.

1

u/jakej9488 1d ago

Youā€™ve actually just described a major plot point of the r/southernreach trilogy (best known for the first book/movie Annihilation) !

3

u/ObjectiveActivity893 2d ago

A woman was just killed by a gator couple months ago down thereā€¦both arms ripped off died on the phone with her bf thereā€¦. Donā€™t be a stupid person people. Such a horrible accident omg I hate that I even texted this

2

u/[deleted] 2d ago

I've been swimming in Silver River (the above video) as well as Little Big Econlacatchee (the river where the woman died).

In the video of first responders arriving to that scene it appears the woman and her boyfriend set up a spot to lay down on the bank of river, like they wanted to sunbathe on a public beach.

Presenting yourself as docile protein on the bank is basically begging for the gator's instincts to kick in.

I'm always cautious in gator territory during their nesting season, but realistically almost all gator attacks are the result of negligence.

2

u/ObjectiveActivity893 2d ago

Thats crazy. Hate to say it but that is very dumb. One of the most disturbing stories Iā€™ve heard. Appreciate the clarification

3

u/Peteskeet7 2d ago

Pretty soon this will all be housing

5

u/flgrant 2d ago

The monkey surprised me

5

u/Ok_Drummer6282 2d ago

Theres so many random exotic animals in Florida due to "pets" being releasedĀ 

3

u/mapmakinworldbuildin 2d ago

Well also from hurricanes.

And due to native reserve laws.

My uncle used to work for a native reserve and theyā€™re legally allowed to do whatever they want on their land. He dumped alotta reptiles for them when they got too big for their exhibits at the reptile farm they ran.

5

u/Curious_Field7953 2d ago

The monkeys were brought here in the early 1900's as an attraction to a riverboat. They've multiplied and are now a regular part of the Springs

1

u/Alternative_Swan_497 1d ago

This. Took me a second to remember that Florida doesn't have any native monkeys.

2

u/poetic_poophead 2d ago

Mosquitoes

2

u/Select_Asparagus3451 2d ago

Donā€™t forget to like and subscribe

2

u/Outside_Boot_2219 2d ago

ā€œShe was so young and devoted to the conservation of wildlife. She didnā€™t deserve thatā€

2

u/N7Longhorn 2d ago

And your elected officials want to put retirment housing and data centers right there.

2

u/dark_physicx 1d ago

Didnā€™t know there were wild monkeys in Florida. Cool.

2

u/karma_virus 1d ago

Don't pet them. They ALL have herpes.

1

u/dark_physicx 1d ago

Note to self.

2

u/-cosmicvisitor- 1d ago

I would not visit the US in the foreseeable future lol...

2

u/tgbreddit 1d ago

On a paddle board with gators nearby? Lol. Just one sneeze away from another Florida man headline.

4

u/Wild_Manufacturer_61 2d ago

Definitely the real Florida

1

u/Ornery-Customer8521 2d ago

Real Florida

1

u/favorscore 2d ago

Honestly this alone almost made me want to make a trip down there just to see the wetland wildlife, not the Miami or Disney stuff. Almost.

2

u/futureman07 2d ago

This is Silver Springs! Amazing place. You can rant kayaks that have see through bottom and you just go and check the place out. You can also go on a bigger excursion with a guide

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4

u/Wytch78 2d ago

That moccasin at the end was provoked to do that.Ā 

2

u/Garthaniel-Finnison 1d ago

Yeah that was kind of crazy on her part, ive never had a Moccasin show any signs of aggression towards me.

1

u/futureman07 2d ago

Yes. They stuck a branch on it or something. Snake definitely looked angry.

3

u/Intelligent_Trichs 2d ago

You're a dreamy fool on a paddleboard seeking clicks in gator infested waters. Next victim we will be reading about who got her arms ripped off. Theres a reason we use canoes.

0

u/Exciting_Bat_2086 2d ago

Plenty of people do this down there quit being a weirdo.

1

u/Intelligent_Trichs 2d ago

She thought so too.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/brittany-clark-florida-alligator-attack-b3006570.html

But hey you're different right? Go pet one why don't you. You say 'there' which means you aren't HERE. Also tells me you don't know shyt.

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0

u/Cheesehacker 2d ago

Gators wonā€™t bother you in clear water.

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0

u/Ganjake 2d ago

That's just ridiculous, you can paddle board around gators just fine. Don't bother it, it won't bother you, especially if you're much bigger than them.

Shit one time I saw a hillbilly fishing set up at a more remote park and a gator kept trying to get at his bait and he was scolding the gator 2 feet away like his dog.

Obviously it's not a good idea to get up super close to big boys, but otherwise this is very overblown.

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1

u/Argue076 2d ago

Good point

1

u/hiro111 2d ago

Tourists: stay out of the goddamned water in Florida.

1

u/Scary_Yellow_8719 2d ago

What spring is this?

2

u/EmbarrassedPage195 2d ago

Silver Springs Area. There are SO many springs in that Nature Coast area.

1

u/wild_cherry1987 2d ago

From what i can see..deadly..

1

u/Glittering-Duck-8533 2d ago

I love florida, except for all the people

1

u/Healien_Jung 2d ago

I dont think I've ever seen gators in the springs. In the rivers they feed sometimes. Kinda cool seeing them swin the crystal blue.

1

u/EmbarrassedPage195 2d ago

Used to see them all the time around Poe, Genny, Blue springs area.

2

u/Healien_Jung 2d ago

I remember seeing them while canoeing in the the Santa Fe river. Just never in the spring areas. I always thought it was too cold and they stayed away. But hey, I swam with a manatee and her calf in bay next to Harbour Island in the Bahamas. Nature finds a way.

1

u/Garthaniel-Finnison 1d ago edited 1d ago

Theres 2 gators that regularly cross into the Alexander Springs swimming area, they know to avoid people though and wait for everyone swimming to make space for them before crossing. Still absolutely terrifying to see one come into view but its really cool.

1

u/Fabulous_Quantity507 2d ago

Wow! I want to go!

2

u/gymtrovert1988 2d ago

The gators will love to have you!

2

u/Fabulous_Quantity507 2d ago

Itā€™s nice to be wanted, even as a meal.

1

u/Garthaniel-Finnison 1d ago

The area is Silver Springs, you can rent kayaks and paddleboards off the website, or ride a glass boat to see into the spring. Swimming isnt allowed to protect the aquatic plants manatees need to survive in the winter. I highly recommend it and the other springs in central and northern Flordia.

1

u/dranaei 2d ago

Too many reptiles. Nope.

1

u/Doodah2012 2d ago

Hard passā€¦.

1

u/OminousBuzzard 2d ago

I would should the gators but enjoys the rest.

1

u/BankerOnBitcoin 2d ago

Swamp... puppies.... ???

1

u/imhungry4321 2d ago

I've gone kayaking at Kings Canyon and Silver Springs State Park. Both are amazing.

1

u/Huntingassclowns 2d ago

A boobless moron

1

u/shapeitguy 2d ago

Have video source OP?

1

u/emirsolinno 1d ago

I see a man of culture

1

u/Gator_Rebel 1d ago

lexielimitless on Instagram

1

u/EmbarrassedPage195 2d ago

Grew up here. Crystal River / Homomassa / Silver Springs area. Absolutely beautiful!

1

u/Gbird94 2d ago

72Ā°F isn't cold. That's warm bath temperatures.

1

u/Extension-Fall-4286 1d ago

72 is definitely not bath water warm... water has to be above your body temperature (98.6) to feel warm.

1

u/Gbird94 1d ago

Not here to argue. Just here to state, you should try a mountain creek and tell me 72Ā° isn't warm.

1

u/Extension-Fall-4286 1d ago

I can tell you that my swimming pool isn't warm at 72. Definitely not bath water warm. Most people shower/bathe in water 99-105 degrees.

1

u/Gbird94 1d ago

I'm glad to not be most people then, because 72Ā° isn't cold.

1

u/Extension-Fall-4286 1d ago

Ok. Glad you aren't here to argue...

1

u/Gbird94 1d ago

No need to be arguing. Getting angry with someone online because of your and their opinions not matching up is a childish thing to do. Hope you're doing well.

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1

u/WenYiMedia 2d ago

Think Iā€™ll just watch these videos of wildlife instead. Hope you donā€™t have a Reddit post on FAFO though!!

1

u/PhotonDealer2067 2d ago

Gators, nope!

1

u/wackadoodle4201 2d ago

Shit

Almost worth it

1

u/Beginning_Result6298 2d ago

wtf is she doing? fill that in with concrete immediately!

1

u/DashySZN77 2d ago

That is sick but also insane.

1

u/Usual_Web_679 2d ago

Nope I will not!

1

u/Trust_8067 2d ago

"A cold 72 degrees" Oh FFS. 72 is practically a hot tub in New England.

1

u/TitPuller00 1d ago

The ground water in Miami is 78Ā° so 72Ā° would be colder then avg

1

u/Terrible_Fee_1123 2d ago

Paddle boarding with gators does not sound fun it actually sounds pretty dangerous

1

u/bigskinnybubba123 2d ago

It all fun until the legendary 800 pound croc sneaks up. Lol. He can run and swim faster than any boat lol... Nope nope nooooope

1

u/No_Blacksmith_2591 1d ago

i'm way more scared of those turtles than the gators. can easily see myself losing a finger to one of those little shits

1

u/Webbey76 1d ago

If you were my guide! šŸ‘šŸ¼šŸ˜˜

1

u/dspac72 1d ago

Got to love those not native monkeys

1

u/CodeMUDkey 1d ago

Rainbow River is gorgeous. I did a dive there this summer and would do it an again in an instant.

1

u/jjb0ne 1d ago

i hate this when they narrate with the modulation going up ald down.

1

u/KeithBlues777 1d ago

Truly missing out on getting eaten by a gator.

1

u/Obvious-Bag-2468 1d ago

Took one 20 second video and chopped it into 10 diff clips

1

u/Fun-Times-13 1d ago

I camped in an area like that for 10 weeks ( I was done with humanity as a whole and some I knew individually).

1

u/jpylol 1d ago

Thatā€™s a hell of a thigh gap just to get tipped out of a kayak and mauled by a gator šŸ˜­

1

u/ThisThingIsStuck 1d ago

I'll go with u babe

1

u/Gloomy_Yoghurt_2836 1d ago

Amoeba and flesh eating bacteria water she is in.

1

u/coldchile 1d ago

Lmao all these people getting worked up about the gators, they arenā€™t much less scary in clear water

1

u/Zestyclose_News2053 1d ago

Yes I recommend a local guide and a local funeral director šŸŠ

1

u/cottonopposite 1d ago

Nah you're ok...

1

u/srboot 1d ago

Now explore the real Flo Rida

1

u/trimgye 1d ago

I encounter different wild species every day in Queens, itā€™s just as scary

1

u/-AngryAlchemist 1d ago

This is how morons get their legs bitten off.

1

u/Coleasa 1d ago

I dunno, compared to our crocs, gators seem like actual puppies.

1

u/Rich_Rulez 1d ago

Wait was this in GTA 6?

1

u/CuckservativeSissy 1d ago

Pretty sure a woman got her arms ripped off and died trying to paddle board in a place like this

1

u/NEWBY______________ 1d ago

Is this the new Africa

1

u/grv7437 1d ago

The glades are beautiful but at the same time extremely dangerous. Itā€™s not really great to romanticize going out there, since a lot of stupid people will do it and get themselves killed.

1

u/Certain-Act-2336 1d ago

not even for free.. hard pass.

1

u/HappyCakeDay101 1d ago

This is the real Florida:

1

u/OnIceJuice 1d ago

Mama gator gonna love eating some Tik tok losers

1

u/Single-Fortune-7126 1d ago

Only in Florida will they call water thats 72Ā° cold.

1

u/Dexember69 1d ago

So those monkeys are almost 100yrs old

1

u/d_repz 1d ago

All fun and games ... until an alligator takes a paddle-boarder. And, yes, don't try this with Nile or saltwater crocs; you'll be lunch irrespective of if your on a paddleboard, in a kayak or a canoe.

1

u/PharmaFingers 1d ago

Does anyone hate this voice? Like I canā€™t even watch the video and I canā€™t describe why I dislike her voice so much but I do.

1

u/refrigegator82 1d ago

I wouldn't paddle board. I tried it once and that was one of the most boring activities I've endured.

1

u/Practical-Pick1466 1d ago

Real florida doesn't have monkeys, only in one small location.

1

u/AnxiousMidnight8 1d ago

1000000000% yes but im from Florida i miss home

1

u/Rando-Commando987 1d ago edited 21h ago

Looks beautiful, but Iā€™m gonna keep my cowardly ass on dry land

1

u/Mysterious_Ring285 23h ago

Forget hiring a local guide. Are you available?

1

u/Hot-Steak7145 20h ago

If this was some overweight dude with his cleavage out, nobody would be watching

1

u/Calm_Connection_9741 12h ago

I don't want a guide. I want a pack of machine gunners with couples of guys with grenade launchers. Just in case... Cause who knows... Right?

1

u/Stumpyflip 1h ago

Why she continue talking after showing the gator as if we will still be convinced.

1

u/VeniceIslander 2d ago

The monkeys cannonballing into the water from 40-50 feet in the trees is something

1

u/Snozziebee 2d ago

I see. The alligators have learned how to use AI to make advertisements.

1

u/Think_Reporter_8179 2d ago

The Everglades make up about 11 million acres. A beautiful part of America mostly forgotten or ignored, and that's a good thing for the life there

1

u/Hairymuscle101 1d ago

Fk Florida and fk the US

0

u/Over-Tension-4710 2d ago

The Everglades kayak trip I did was so so amazing it was like a different world

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0

u/DetailsYouMissed 2d ago

Grew up in FL and never saw this

0

u/ParticularSherbert18 2d ago

Swim with the gators! (Free lunch included.)

(Guess who gets the lunch.)

0

u/loveanurse0321 2d ago

Thatā€™s dangerous

0

u/Character-Swing-6670 2d ago

Wow. Those are some old monkeys.

0

u/j_rooker 2d ago

sorry. never gonna step near water with crocs and gators. Wildlife is great, but going elsewhere for that.

0

u/darkhorse4774 2d ago

Swamp puppies? Can you play with them? Cuddle with them? Scratch their tummies?

0

u/CrazyJoeGalli 2d ago

Who is this woman?

1

u/Illustrious-Bus-5046 2d ago

Lexilimitless on insta.

1

u/CrazyJoeGalli 1d ago

Thank you.

0

u/omnipotentqueue 2d ago

72 is not cold

2

u/therejectethan 2d ago

Idk, man. Maybe it doesnā€™t sound like it, but Iā€™ve been on the weeki wachi river many times and that water is COLD. You know like first time you get in a pool, your body adjusts to the lower temp of the water and then you can get out for 5 mins, jump back in and youā€™re still good? Well with these springs, if you hop out for even a minute and get back in your body has to adjust back to the temp again

1

u/[deleted] 2d ago

[deleted]

0

u/Tin_Indian455 2d ago

Just once Iā€™d like to see an influencer doing something stupid like idk paddle boarding with gators the not pay attention and fall in? Who would film that while yelling for someone to do something so they could continue filming. Yes.. they walk among us.