Gator Seen Lounging On Mattress In Florida Canal Following Milton

Suwanee, FL - An alligator was photographed lounging on a floating mattress with fitted sheets and blankets in Suwannee, Florida, after Hurricane Helene.

Local resident Tracy Kirkpatrick captured the bizarre scene on Saturday near Highway 349.

The photo shows the gator seemingly basking in the sun on its makeshift throne.

“I was just getting back from lunch when I saw this,” Kirkpatrick told the Miami Herald .

“We've all been wondering whose perfectly made bed ended up in the canal. Guess it became the gator's water bed!"

The mattress, residents say, has been drifting through Suwannee's canals since Hurricane Helene made landfall on September 26th.

“It just goes to show, you never know what might happen,” commented Diane Strickland, another Suwannee resident.

“Maybe we should all start making our beds extra well – you might be providing a comfy spot for local wildlife!”

The gator shows no signs of relinquishing its newfound luxury, and no one has stepped forward to claim the mattress.

Social media users have been charmed by the image, with many commending the gator for making the best of a bad situation.

Suwannee is located in Dixie County, roughly 160 miles northwest of Tampa on the Gulf Coast.

Hurricane Helene made landfall near Perry, approximately 80 miles north of Suwannee. Storm surges in the area reached an estimated 15 feet, according to the National Weather Service.