Alligator in rivers of America?

[LAKid53]

As is always said - any natural body of water in Florida is going to have alligators in it.

There is a certain size they have to get to before they are moved, I believe it is around 5ft.

Actually, ANY decent sized water body in Florida can have an alligator or two. The man made water hazard behind our house in Miami (lived on a golf course) had one - we named him Freddie - and he moved from the one behind our house to the one near our neighbor's. As long as there is a ready supply of food (fish, the left over roasts the chef at the country would bring by, small mammals) in or nearby, they will come. Sadly, Freddie ended becoming a pair of shoes and handbag late one evening. R.I.P., Freddie.

 

[LAKid53]

Saw one in the grasses along the shoreline in the Lagoon once when riding the monorail from GF to the Magic Kingdom.

 

[LAKid53]

Basically people were pouring their drinks either into it's mouth, if it was open, from above. They would also pour it into the water and then dropping an ice cube. The gator would go after the ice cube thinking food and get a mouth full of spiked lake water as well.

Stupid idiots like this need to find out that gators are capable of leaping up out of the water and removing a digit or two....

 

[LAKid53]

As long as it's not one of those Gaytors from G'ville.....

 

[LAKid53]

The scaly kind or the FSU kind

Uh, we be the NOLES, not the University of Florida Gators....

 

[LAKid53]

I've seen small ones on the Disney Golf Courses.
On a course in Orlando I was asked by an English woman if everyone has screens around their pools to keep the bugs out. I said "yes but also the alligators". She about fell over, she was in shock.

Yes, because a screen around a patio is going to stop a very hungry 8 foot gator going after that purse dog barking at it....

 

[willtravel]

I wonder where the alligator"s are hiding in Animal Kingdom?

 

[LAKid53]

I wonder where the alligator"s are hiding in Animal Kingdom?

They thought about going, but noticed all the crocs in the gift shops and decided against it....

 

[Arthur Wellesley]

This past July there was one at Coronado Springs swimming up to the Laguna Bar. Patrons were feeding it and giving it alcohol.

Basically people were pouring their drinks either into it's mouth, if it was open, from above. They would also pour it into the water and then dropping an ice cube. The gator would go after the ice cube thinking food and get a mouth full of spiked lake water as well.

This should have been reported to a CM immediately, and those "patrons" (though I have a few other select words for them) should be kicked from property. For the reasons others have already mentioned, (gators associating humans with food, etc.) feeding them is illegal in the state of Florida.

http://mygovhelp.info/FLFWC/_cs/AnswerDetail.aspx?sSessionID=&aid=108

Feeding wildlife is generally discouraged and, in some cases, illegal. In Florida, it is illegal to feed manatees, sandhill cranes, bears, raccoons, foxes, and alligators.

Next time you see this, take out your phone / camera & get a pic or video of the patrons in action. Report these idiots!
https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Content/CJST/Publications/Criminal-Justice-Agency-Links.aspx

But the least you can do is speak up & inform a CM.

 

[ford91exploder]

Uh, we be the NOLES, not the University of Florida Gators....

I apologize and will fix. go Seminoles. BTW is the Starbucks still there near the smokestack ? Yes I've been there and I should know better

 

[LAKid53]

I apologize and will fix. go Seminoles. BTW is the Starbucks still there near the smokestack ? Yes I've been there and I should know better

It was the last time I was on campus. The late VP for Finance & Administration once stated that he would have a Starbucks every 200 feet if he could convince the company to open that many. And I think every one would be packed.

 

[LAKid53]

This should have been reported to a CM immediately, and those "patrons" (though I have a few other select words for them) should be kicked from property. For the reasons others have already mentioned, (gators associating humans with food, etc.) feeding them is illegal in the state of Florida.

http://mygovhelp.info/FLFWC/_cs/AnswerDetail.aspx?sSessionID=&aid=108


Next time you see this, take out your phone / camera & get a pic or video of the patrons in action. Report these idiots!
https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Content/CJST/Publications/Criminal-Justice-Agency-Links.aspx

But the least you can do is speak up & inform a CM.

Actually, under the Endangered Species Act, it is illegal to feed, touch or harass manatees in any manner, since they are a listed species. I believe the fine can be up to $10,000 and 6 months in jail, if I remember FWS regulations correctly. And manatees are also protected under the Marine Mammals Protection Act. Which is why Sea World now breeds its exhibition stock, rather than taking animals from the wild.

 

[Arthur Wellesley]

Actually, under the Endangered Species Act, it is illegal to feed, touch or harass manatees in any manner, since they are a listed species. I believe the fine can be up to $10,000 and 6 months in jail, if I remember FWS regulations correctly. And manatees are also protected under the Marine Mammals Protection Act. Which is why Sea World now breeds its exhibition stock, rather than taking animals from the wild.

Correct! As is with the endangered American saltwater crocodile, which is on my short bucket list to capture on film, hopefully this winter sometime (fingers crossed). That's a smart rule to follow with any wildlife, endangered or not. Just simply don't do anything to make them change their behavior, and you're good. Common sense is all it takes.

 

[LAKid53]

Correct! As is with the endangered American saltwater crocodile, which is on my short bucket list to capture on film, hopefully this winter sometime (fingers crossed). That's a smart rule to follow with any wildlife, endangered or not. Just simply don't do anything to make them change their behavior, and you're good. Common sense is all it takes.

In total agreement. Hope you get some film. Worked for the state agency overseeing marine mammal protection and so got to officially interact with manatees. They truly are gentle. Will swim right up to you. Was visiting one of our rehab partners and made the mistake of dangling my hand in the pool housing some animals undergoing rehab while talking to staff. It was like being in an enclosure with a bunch of puppies. Every manatee made a beeline for my hand, some rolling over for me to rub their bellies. And would push each other out of the way so they could get their belly rubbed. However, this is not typical manatee behavior. They just needed some loving after getting run over by careless Florida boaters. That's how we identified them - by the scars left on their bodies by boat propellers.

 

[Arthur Wellesley]

Worked for the state agency overseeing marine mammal protection

If I could start my life all over, this would definitely be a career path I'd choose.

 

[ford91exploder]

It was the last time I was on campus. The late VP for Finance & Administration once stated that he would have a Starbucks every 200 feet if he could convince the company to open that many. And I think every one would be packed.

I Agree, Getting one's morning caffeine fix was an exercise of patience and determination.

 

[LAKid53]

I Agree, Getting one's morning caffeine fix was an exercise of patience and determination.

Or those late night cramming sessions for finals in Strozier. Which now includes food. Neither of which was allowed back when I was studying at 2AM in Strozier for a final.....

 

[AEfx]

Basically people were pouring their drinks either into it's mouth, if it was open, from above. They would also pour it into the water and then dropping an ice cube. The gator would go after the ice cube thinking food and get a mouth full of spiked lake water as well.

I had three thoughts reading this:

1) SNL needs to supplement "Drunk Uncle" with "Drunk Gator"...put him in a Hawaiian shirt and all,

2) I'm not such a bad person that I would wish those asshats would fall in and get eaten, but I am enough of one to say I wish they lost a fingertip or two as a lesson to them and others,

and

3) They must have been very drunk or very rich to be dumping already overpriced booze everywhere, but triply so at Disney...

 

[janoimagine]

Every time I'm at the parks and see people playing with the wildlife (and in some cases literally picking them up) I want to throw my head through the nearest wall. Its people like that which caused one of those big white egrets to swoop over, stalk, and eventually grab a corn dog nugget right out of my cup a few weeks ago.

Best thing I ever saw was a parent lift his kid up and placed them on the rail by the reptile pit in Dinoland at AK ... I took a snapshot of it and its somewhere in all my files ... I will post it if I can find it ... You realize that had the kid jumped in the pit and been mauled by the gator the parents would have sued disney for millions, even though it was the parents idiocy and poor judgement that would have caused the issue in the first place. People just have no common sense, even more so when it comes to wild animals and enclosures.

 

[Jahona]

3) They must have been very drunk or very rich to be dumping already overpriced booze everywhere, but triply so at Disney...

I had the same thought. I was like that was a waste of a good margarita.