Florida Alligators And Beer: An Unlikely Pairing?

Florida is home to an estimated 1.3 million alligators, and humans and alligators have a complicated relationship in the state. While attacks on humans are rare, there have been several instances of Floridians interacting with alligators in unconventional ways, including attempting to make them drink beer. In one instance, two Florida men were arrested and charged with unlawfully taking an alligator after one of them, Timothy Kepke, was seen in a video tempting an alligator to bite his arm and then pouring beer into its mouth. In another instance, a man was filmed using an alligator's mouth to open a beer can.

Florida men arrested for forcing an alligator to drink beer

Florida is known for its large population of alligators, with an estimated 1.3 million of the reptiles living in the state. While the animals largely do not interact with people, and attacks remain rare, there have been several incidents of Florida men behaving badly with alligators.

In one incident, two Florida men, Timothy Kepke, 27, and Noah Osborne, 22, were arrested and charged with unlawfully taking an alligator, a felony, after allegedly forcing the animal to drink beer. According to a report from TCPalm, Osborne caught the alligator with his bare hands from the side of a road in Palm City, Florida, on August 26, 2019. The pair then allegedly encouraged the reptile to bite Kepke's arm while forcing it to drink beer. The incident was reportedly recorded on video, which was sent to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, prompting an investigation.

When police visited Kepke, he confirmed that he appeared in the video but claimed he was not drunk, only admitting to having had a "couple beers". The pair were arrested and held on $5,000 and $2,500 bonds, respectively, before being booked into Martin County Jail and released later the same day.

In another incident, a man named Robby Stratton walked into a Florida convenience store with a live alligator under his arm in search of beer. He was recorded on video jokingly charging at a terrified customer with the alligator aloft. Stratton later said he had no memory of the incident, blaming alcohol. Police investigated the incident as possessing a gator without a permit is a third-degree felony, punishable by up to $5,000 in fines or five years in prison.

In a separate viral video, a man in a red t-shirt was seen on board a hovercraft with a group of others in Florida. He was enticing an alligator in the water by splashing and tapping it on its head. When the alligator opened its mouth, the man pierced a can of beer on its teeth and handed it to another man, who started drinking it. While some people praised the stunt, others criticised it, with one person pointing out the potential health risks of using an alligator's mouth to open a beer.

The men were charged with unlawfully taking an alligator

In Florida, it is not uncommon for people to interact with alligators, and sometimes these encounters can turn unusual. In one such incident, two Florida men, Timothy Kepke, 27, and Noah Osborne, 22, found themselves in legal trouble after an encounter with an alligator. The men were arrested and charged with "unlawfully taking an alligator", a felony offence. But what exactly led to these charges?

The incident in question occurred in Palm City, Florida, in August 2019. Kepke and Osborne allegedly caught an alligator, with Osborne using his bare hands to capture the reptile from the side of a road. They then proceeded to encourage the alligator to bite Kepke's arm while forcing it to drink beer. This incident was recorded on video and reported to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, who launched an investigation.

During the investigation, police interviewed Kepke, who confirmed his presence in the video and admitted to having a "couple beers" during the incident. The pair also released the alligator back into the wild after their encounter. Despite the seemingly harmless intentions, the authorities took the matter seriously, and the two men were arrested and charged.

This case highlights the complex relationship between humans and alligators in Florida. While attacks by alligators on humans are rare, humans often pose a greater threat to these reptiles. Florida has strict laws protecting alligators, and any intentional harm or capture of these animals is prohibited. In this case, the men's actions of capturing the alligator and potentially endangering its welfare led to the charges of "unlawfully taking an alligator".

The incident and subsequent charges serve as a reminder that while alligators may be a common sight in Florida, they are wild animals that require respect and distance. It is important for residents and visitors to understand the laws and regulations surrounding these creatures to ensure their safety and the preservation of Florida's unique wildlife.

The men released the alligator back into the wild after the incident

The incident involving the Florida alligator and two men, Timothy Kepke and Noah Osborne, concluded with the men releasing the animal back into the wild. The pair had been filmed capturing the alligator and encouraging it to bite one of the men's arms, before forcing it to drink beer. This behaviour caused concern and distress to many who viewed the footage, with some questioning the possible health risks of exposing the alligator to beer and the dirty water it had been living in.

After the incident, authorities arrested Kepke and Osborne, charging them with unlawfully taking an alligator, a felony offence. They were held on bonds of $5,000 and $2,500 respectively, before being booked into Martin County Jail and released later the same day.

Despite the men's release, the incident highlights a concerning trend of humans interfering with alligators in Florida. With an estimated 1.3 million alligators in the state, it is important that residents and visitors understand the importance of respecting these wild animals and their habitat. While attacks on humans remain rare, it is crucial to remember that alligators are wild animals that should not be approached, captured, or harmed in any way.

In the case of Kepke and Osborne, their actions not only endangered the alligator but also themselves, as alligators can become aggressive when provoked. It is fortunate that the incident did not result in serious harm to either the men or the alligator, and that the animal was eventually released back into its natural habitat, where it belongs.

A video of a man using an alligator to open a beer can went viral

A video of a man using an alligator to open a beer can has gone viral, attracting almost one million views. The footage, which was posted on Twitter, shows a man in a red t-shirt on a hovercraft in Florida enticing an alligator in the water by splashing and tapping it on its head. When the alligator opens its mouth, the man pierces a can of beer on its teeth and hands it to another man, who starts drinking. The stunt was met with cheers of appreciation from others on the hovercraft.

The video has prompted a range of reactions on Twitter, with some praising the man's ingenuity and others criticising the group's actions. One user commented on the possible health risks of using an alligator's mouth to open a beer, as alligators live in water that is full of dangerous organisms.

This is not the first time a "Florida man" has made headlines for unusual behaviour involving alligators and beer. In 2019, two Florida men, Timothy Kepke and Noah Osborne, were arrested and charged with unlawfully taking an alligator after allegedly catching one and encouraging it to bite one of the men's arms while forcing it to drink beer. In a separate incident in 2022, a Florida man named Robby Stratton went to a convenience store to buy beer while wielding a live alligator, an act for which he could face charges as possessing a gator without a permit is a third-degree felony.

The police are investigating the incident as possessing an alligator is a third-degree felony

In Florida, it is illegal to possess an alligator without a permit. This is a third-degree felony, punishable by up to $5,000 in fines or five years in prison.

In 2019, two Florida men, Timothy Kepke and Noah Osborne, were arrested and charged with unlawfully taking an alligator, a felony, after allegedly forcing the animal to drink beer. Kepke and Osborne were released on bonds of $5,000 and $2,500, respectively, and booked into Martin County Jail. They were released later the same day.

The incident was reported to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, who began investigating in August 2019 following a complaint. The video evidence appears to show Kepke holding the alligator captive, tempting it to bite his right forearm, and then pouring beer into its mouth. The alligator displayed aggressive behaviour when the beer was poured into its mouth.

In a separate incident in July 2021, a man was filmed using an alligator to open a can of beer. The video, which was posted on Twitter, shows the man enticing the alligator by splashing it and tapping it on the head. When the alligator opened its mouth, the man pierced a can of beer on its teeth and handed it to another man, who started drinking. This incident did not result in any arrests, but some commentators noted the potential health risks of using an alligator's mouth to open a beer can.

Frequently asked questions