Woman Goes Paddle Boarding in Everglades, Then Sees Something in Water

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A video about a paddle-boarding trip in Florida's Everglades National Park that turned into a suspenseful wildlife encounter has captivated viewers on TikTok.

The clip was shared by @saltynaplesmama and has amassed over 534,000 views since it was posted on November 22. The footage shows the shadow of the paddle boarder gliding across the water as bubbles rise ominously behind her. A note overlaid on the text teases viewers, asking, "What could it be?" As the camera pans across the water, the tension mounts, with a note reading: "It's either a crocodile or a manatee."

After a moment of suspense, the mystery is solved when a large, dark figure emerges from the water—thankfully, it's a gentle manatee. Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.

Everglades National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to a variety of wildlife, including rare and endangered species such as the manatee, American crocodile, and the elusive Florida panther, according to the National Park Service (NPS).

While manatees are herbivorous and pose no threat to humans, other species in the Everglades are not so harmless.

"Crocodilians are one of the reasons people visit the park; however, these are wild animals that can be dangerous to humans," the NPS says. Visitors are advised to stay at least 15 feet away from these creatures and to avoid behaviors that might provoke them. "If an animal is hissing, you are too close, even if it is more than 15 feet," the NPS adds.

Despite its beauty, paddle boarding in the Everglades requires caution. The NPS notes that alligators and crocodiles are most active at night and the service warns against approaching, feeding, or harassing them. "Even if they appear still, they are alive and alert and can react lightning fast," the NPS says.

South Florida is the only place where American crocodiles and American alligators are known to coexist.

The Florida Wildlife Commission says that roughly 2,000 crocodiles reside in the state, compared with 1.3 million alligators, marking an improvement from the 1970s when only a few hundred wild crocodiles were thought to exist in the U.S., though the species is still listed as being threatened.

'Panic Attack'

Viewers on TikTok were terrified and later relieved by the scene in the viral clip.

User @jennyfromtheblock0788 noted, "The way I would have fallen off trying to stay still," and missjanell1 posted: "You lost me at paddling in the Everglades."

"I would had panicked, fell down and drown from my panic attack …" wrote user460334702349.

Others were relieved by the harmless outcome. "Either the most dangerous thing or the least dangerous thing, YAAAYYYY," commented Michelle Szerlik. Samantha Cast997 added: "Glad it was a manatee and not a gator."