Two deputies in central Florida showed nerves of steel when they wrangled an alligator that had wandered up to a Clermont home earlier this month.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said the reptile put up a fight, even attempting a death roll maneuver — a notorious tactic alligators use to disorient prey. Despite the display, the deputies skillfully tracked the gator from the front stoop of the house into the backyard, where they safely secured it.

The dramatic encounter highlights the challenges Florida law enforcement faces when wildlife ventures into residential neighborhoods.