COPY-Gator vs. bobcat: Just another day in a Florida backyard

They're two of Florida's icons -- graceful predators that are both feared and beloved around the Sunshine State.

But what do you get when a bobcat meets an alligator? In this case, just some incredible photos and one great story to tell.

Tuesday, Bryan Peabody was at his home when something caught his eye outside. That's not unusual -- he lives on the edge of Lettuce Lake Park and is used to seeing deer, alligators, and other animals.

But when he realized it was a bobcat that was resting by the side of his pond, he reached for his camera.

"I'm thinking, wow, that's the closest I've ever come to a bobcat," he recalled. "And that's pretty lucky. I figured at this moment here, I was already pretty lucky. But I decided to go outside and get a little closer."

As he crept closer to the pond, Bryan kept an eye on the cat. Until a large alligator poked its head out of the water.

"I put the camera up. I was still surprised the cat hadn't noticed I was here. So I decided to snap a few more shots, and that's when I saw that monster coming out of the water. It took my breath away. I realized at that moment, I was about to witness something I wasn't sure I wanted to see."

The pictures tell the story. Just as the gator was within inches of the bobcat, the would-be feast jumped out of the alligator's reach and fled into the woods -- leaving the alligator with an empty stomach and Bryan with a lesson to ponder.

"When you live in Florida and you're on a pond, do not turn your back on that water," he added. "You be aware at all times of what's around you. You never know when that big creature is coming out."