A bold young alligator made an unexpected appearance in a swimming pool near Pawleys Island, South Carolina, challenging anyone who dared disturb its aquatic domain. Keith Suttle, the homeowner, estimated the intruder to be around 4 feet long.

"He would leisurely swim around, sunbathe on the pool deck, hop back in, and casually float," Suttle recounted to McClatchy News. "Totally unfazed."

The incident unfolded while Suttle was on a call with a client on July 10, when a neighbor alerted him via text about the unwelcome guest. "I walked out to our back deck and there it was, just chilling in the water. I was stunned, wondering how it even got in, considering our fenced yard," Suttle said. "We live by the marsh between Litchfield Beach and the mainland."

Seeking a solution, Suttle turned to the Pawleys Island Peeps Facebook group, where he received over 500 responses suggesting various tactics, from grabbing its tail to relocating it to a neighbor's yard or calling a wildlife professional. Eventually, a Myrtle Beach-based wildlife rescuer arrived with a net.

"As soon as she dipped the net in, it darted to the bottom and seemed to 'dash' around. Within minutes, they had it safely out, mouth taped, wrapped in a towel, and headed to a new habitat," Suttle recounted. The alligator was released into a nearby river and hasn't been seen since.