The U.S. Forest Service closed parts of the Juniper Springs Waterway in Marion County, Florida, on Monday, after a massive alligator started muscling in on paddlers.⁠ ⁠ Officials estimate the aggressive male gator to be between 13 and 14 feet long and say it has “actively made contact with canoes and kayaks,” which is an official way of saying it’s been body-checking boats in the area. The closure affects the waterway put-in for paddlers, the scenic Juniper Run, and the take-out point near Florida State Road 19. The stretch is a narrow, winding waterway and a well-known destination for kayaking and canoeing in Ocala National Forest The Juniper Springs Nature Trail, which is part footpath and part boardwalk, is also off limits for now.⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in profile for the full story 🔗⁠ ⁠ #USFS #forestservice #junipersprings #alligator #gator #alligators #gators #florida #conservation #wildlife #outdoors #outdoorlife⁠ 📷: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission⁠ Story by: alicej...