HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – A video showing an unlikely meeting between an alligator and several sharks in a South Carolina waterway is making the rounds on social media.
The video taken by a tourist was recently captured outside a popular waterfront restaurant in Hilton Head, near the South Carolina-Georgia border.
Gina Athans, of Chicago, was vacationing with her family on the island when the unusual encounter happened.
“My family and I had just sat down to order our drinks when one of the managers came up to us and mentioned that there were sharks and an alligator out on the boat dock,” Athans said during a local news interview. “My first thought was ‘there’s no way they’re hanging out in the water together.’ “
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A video showing an unlikely meeting between an alligator and several sharks in a South Carolina waterway.
(@ginaroseathans/TMX / FOX Weather)
In Athans’ video, the alligator can be seen gliding through the water near the docks, while the fins of multiple sharks surfaced nearby.
The encounter appeared to last only a few seconds, but many patrons at the popular Skull Creek Dockside restaurant were privy to the sights.
After the encounter, both species appeared to go on their separate ways, with little commotion.
Alligators are common in the Palmetto State with an estimated population of at least 100,000, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
The reptiles are most commonly found in freshwater and brackish settings, which is generally what the waterways around the restaurant are considered to be.
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Smaller shark species, including bonnethead and blacktip sharks, are known to occasionally swim through tidal creeks and estuaries, especially during periods of high tide.
Due to the region’s diverse ecosystem, species from eagles to dolphins and sea turtles are regularly spotted in the coastal community.
Wildlife experts advise residents and visitors to never feed any of the animals and stay as far away as possible, to avoid provoking an animal into an attack.
As for Athans, what began as a regular family dinner outing has now become her 15 minutes of fame, with her TikTok video racking up thousands of views and comments.
