Alligators are known for being rather intimidating creatures. But did you know that they can be a bit playful, too? This is something that Michael Kiehl seemed to discover recently in Venice, Florida. While out near a swampy area, he came across an alligator — or as some folks like to say, he saw a “swamp puppy.” There was something about this alligator stood out. He was chewing on something, but it was not what you’d expect. Usually, you would expect to catch an alligator chewing on their prey. But in this case, the gator was chewing on a squeak toy! Suddenly, the nickname “swamp puppy” has never felt so accurate. Luckily, Michael was able to keep a safe distance to capture this moment on camera. See it for yourself in the video below! @fox13tampabay ONLY IN FLORIDA A "swamp puppy" was caught on camera playing with a squeaky toy in Venice. Have you ever seen anything like this before? #florida #gator #onlyinflorida #news ♬ original sound – FOX 13 News Tampa Bay “As a Floridian this is just a causal day,” one commentor jokingly writes in reply to Michael’s video. Others add, “My dog would be going nuts to get that ball” and “Awww swamp puppies are the cutest.” When This Florida Gator Gets a Hold on a Squeaky Toy, He Proves Why “Swamp Puppy” is Such a Fitting Nickname Like many others, you may be a bit concerned for our alligator friend. What if he is trying to eat the toy instead of play with it? While this can’t be entirely ruled out, alligators are much more playful than most people realize. In fact, the University of Tennessee completed a research study on this very topic years ago. This study applies to both alligators and crocodiles. (Note, these creatures are in the same scientific order but not families.) In the end, the results show that these animals do, indeed, engage in “play-like behavior.” Who would have guessed!? You can find the source of this story’s featured image here! The post Gator Finds Unlikely “Prey” And You’ll Never Guess What He’s Chomped On! appeared first on InspireMore.