Sharks swim with alligator in wild SC video. See for yourself
It’s not uncommon to see a variety of creatures roaming around coastal South Carolina.
But a video showing a group of sharks and an alligator swimming in Skull Creek has garnered millions of viewers, all interested in the many animals that call Hilton Head Island home.
While enjoying a family dinner at Skull Creek Dockside on Aug. 15, Hilton Head vacationer, Gina Athans from Chicago, documented these swimming creatures.
“My family and I had just sat down to order our drinks when one of the managers came up to us and mentioned that there were sharks and an alligator out on the boat dock,” Athans said. “My first thought was ‘there’s no way they’re hanging out in the water together.’”
As an avid beach lover and long-time visitor to the island for summer vacations, Athans and her family were struck by curiosity and ventured outside, spotting about five lemon sharks and an alligator poking its head out from under the dock.
“When we were walking out, I was mind blown,” she said. “We were about 50 feet away, and I saw a whole fin.”
Realizing these were not small sharks, Athans admitted she was nervous, but pulled out her phone to document the aquatic action, which has now amassed millions of views on TikTok.
“I’ve been visiting Hilton Head since I was 12 years old, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” Athans said.
How common is it for sharks & alligators to be spotted swimming together?
Skull Creek is a brackish water area, meaning it hosts a mix of both fresh and saltwater.
While alligators are primarily freshwater animals, Hilton Head provides a wide range of habitats, including lakes, rivers, ponds, swampy areas, brackish and saltwater areas.
In coastal areas, “sharks and alligators encounter each other quite a bit,” said Morgan Hart, the Alligator Project Leader for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
Hart states that alligators will often swim in full saltwater or brackish water to feed or mate. In many cases, they feed on the same things, like crabs. The summer months are the peak period for alligator feeding and when females start laying eggs.
Even though alligators and sharks are two of the scarier predators found on Hilton Head, when swimming together, risks remain largely low.
“If they’re near the same size, they’re not a threat to each other either and coexist well,” Hart said.
The danger in situations like this comes from the bystanders.
Hart says that if you spot an alligator in the water, you should avoid feeding or harassing the animal, as it is illegal.
“Feeding an alligator is incredibly dangerous,” Hart said. “It creates an animal that would normally have a fear of people into one that might intentionally approach people for food, causing serious problems, including injury or death.”
If you spot an alligator, shark or any other kind of creature, make sure to observe them from a safe distance and snap a quick video or photo to remember the moment.
For more information on alligators in South Carolina, click here to visit the GatorWise webpage, or click here to read about the kinds of sharks found around Hilton Head.
This story was originally published August 20, 2025 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Sharks swim with alligator in wild SC video. See for yourself."
