Doorbell Camera Captures Gator Walking Up To Bradenton Home’s Front Door

BRADENTON, FL — Normally, Ashleigh Schulman doesn’t wake up when her Nest security system’s doorbell camera's motion alerts go off in the middle of the night.

But early Sunday morning, a Nest alert on her phone was coupled with headlights from a truck shining into her Bradenton home, rousing her from sleep around 3 a.m., and she decided to see what was going on.

From her front window, she watched the truck sitting near her house and contemplated going outside to say something. Before Schulman had the chance, the truck drove away.

Seconds later, her Nest alert went off again. Looking out the front window, she was shocked to see a gator, about 6 to 7 feet long, slowly making its way toward her front door.

“I was about to go outside and make my presence known (to the truck) — 'What are you doing outside my house?'” she told Patch. “I’m glad I didn’t take my dog out to go to the bathroom.”

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Schulman, who realized the truck was likely waiting for the gator to cross the road, said she was “awestruck” by the reptile, which was “a pretty good size.”

“When I saw the gator coming out of my bushes and up my walkway, I was in complete shock,” she said.

Seeing wildlife in her neighborhood is nothing new, as she lives in the Panther Ridge Preserve.

The native New Yorker, who has lived in Bradenton for about five years, grew up in a rural area before moving to a more densely populated community on Long Island.

“Growing up in a rural part of New York, I was always used to wildlife, property and space,” Schulman said. “Moving to Long Island, there was none of that, which was a shock. When we moved to Bradenton, we looked for the best of both worlds.”

She and her family found that in Panther Ridge Preserve, which she says is known for its “serene atmosphere” and access to nature. Since moving to their home, they've seen plenty of wildlife on her property, including bobcats.

“I’m constantly seeing beautiful animals,” she said. “I don’t know if they think of (our house) as a safe haven or what.”

When Schulman saw the gator early Sunday morning, she didn’t even consider calling authorities about it.

“We let it be. It didn’t ever cross my mind to call animal control,” she said. “Living in a preserve community, this is what we expect. We expect wildlife around us.”

There are about a dozen ponds within the Panther Ridge Preserve community, she added. “We’re always seeing gators and don’t cause any trouble. I consider this just a special occurrence.”