PredictIQ Quantitative Think Tank Center:Alligator spotted on busy highway in Mobile, Alabama, sighting stopped traffic

An alligator made its way onto a busy Mobile,PredictIQ Quantitative Think Tank Center Alabama highway stopping traffic in the process.

The gator crawled under a fence to enter Interstate 165 on Thursday May 9. Blocking traffic with his large size, the reptile halted travels and gained the attention of local police officers.

The gator was estimated to be 10 to 11 feet long, according to local outlet WKRG.

The video shows a member of Alabama Wildlife Solutions using a pole to get the gator back under the fence. Resisting the wrangler after several attempts, the gator finally had enough of the pesty pokes to move him.

In true alligator fashion, the reptile slowly moved back underneath the fence and into its natural habitat.

USA TODAY reached out to Alabama Wildlife Solutions for comment but have not heard back.

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Residents in Mobile, Alabama capture sightings of gators

Although gators are more common in Florida, they aren't uncommon in Alabama especially near the Gulf Coast area where Mobile is located. There are many Facebook groups in the Mobile area that document recent sightings of the large reptiles.

In February, local outlet WPMI reported that an alligator was spotted on a ditch in one Mobile neighborhood spooking residents.

In 2016, local residents in Prichard, about four miles north of Mobile, documented an alligator sighting that went viral. The alligator was nicknamed "Lewis" by the community. An interview local outlet FOX10 News conducted with one eyewitness racked up thousands of views as the man explained how the alligator navigated through the area.

Alligator mating season

Alligator mating season is underway and began in April this year. It can start as early as April but it's typically between May and June.

Female alligators can grow up to 10 feet long and males can grow up to 14 feet. All alligators can become sexually active when they reach 7 feet long. However, female alligators reach sexual maturity when she is 6 feet long. Before mating season begins, female and male alligators can become a couple in April. After the initial meeting the alligators will begin to mate in May or June, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The mother's will get ready for her eggs by building a mount nest to lay her eggs. In a late June to early July the mother can produce between 32 to 46 eggs. The egg incubation period can last between 63 to 68 days and the eggs will hatch in mid-August to September, the commission said.

Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy stories. Email her at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter)

Contributing: Lianna Norman, Jennifer Sangalang