Leapin’ lizards! Large ‘sleeping’ gator stuns cops, turns out to be sculpture

It’s art on a whole new “scale.”

A Florida cop was gobsmacked when he spotted a frightening 12-foot alligator “sleeping” on a beach — only to discover it was just a wildly realistic-looking sand sculpture, according to police.

The officer was patrolling Treasure Island near Tampa on May 11, when he made the jaws-dropping discovery by tapping the suspiciously sluggish reptile on its tail, local cops said.

When the lounge lizard didn’t move, the cop said “later gater” and promptly flattened the art — so it wouldn’t impede turtle nesting patterns or  spook beach goers, the Treasure Island Police Department said department wrote in a Facebook post.

“Crikey! Look at the size of that gator one of our officers tried rounding up on Treasure Island Beach last night!” police posted, along with a photo of the gator sculpture.

“OK, it wasn’t a real gator, it was just a crafty crafted sand sculpture.”

Turtle nesting season lasts between March and October in the Sunshine State and large sand sculptures can prevent the slow-moving animals from digging their nests.

“We love the talented people creating works of art in the sand, but with it being turtle nesting season, remember to flatten sandcastles/sculptures before you leave. The sea turtles will thank you,” the police department wrote.

The Facebook post had raked in more than 1,200 likes as of Wednesday, with observers calling it stunning and praising the artist’s spooky skill set.

“Oh my Gosh, for a second there, my breath left my body!” Melody Helenek Terrana Reveron wrote.

Florida resident Brock-Trishel Owens added, “Can you imagine walk[ing] up to this in the dark! Real or not I would be running.”