Alligators captured at Disney doubles

[Jedi Stitch]

Interesting news article, I wonder if they always had a permit for alligators, or at some point the state came in to limit them.

 

[Delgado]

We stayed at old key west last September. One morning I was on the deck and saw a gators snout streamlining through the water. I knew they were in there but it was still surprising to see. Then a few minutes later the first boat of the day came by....I can’t help but to believe that was to scare the gators. The one I saw never resurfaced in my view.
My issue with this though...the day before, our arrival day, we took the boat to Disney springs. Our captain was telling us about the birdhouses but went out of his way to tell us gators do not live in that canal because it was too shallow. Now, no one asked about gators, no one saw a gator, this info was just given...Disney, why are you going out of your way to lie?

 

[Movielover]

Disney, why are you going out of your way to lie?

Who knows, maybe he was misinformed?

Or maybe that CM was a gator in disguise!!!!!!!!

 

[mikejs78]

So someone who is visiting WDW from lets say...Ireland or Germany or even North Dakota should do research on dangerous indigenous animals that could pose harm to them?? That's what most people do when they visit Disney...said no one.

I had to travel internationally last week on busienss. Before I left, I researched things about the countries I would be visiting - customs, things to look out for, whether the water was safe to drink, general health and safety information, and yes, wildlife. I think this is just common sense.

 

[mikejs78]

What places have you been that have a different native ecology?

Now, second question, what do all the poisonous snakes and spiders in that region look like? Did you do your research?

When I travel for business, I definitely research the countries I'm going to and the general health and safety information as well as wildlife. Do I know what every snake and spider looks like? No. Do I educate myself enough to know that I should avoid the areas that the snakes and spiders populate? Absolutely.

 

[Prince-1]

I had to travel internationally last week on busienss. Before I left, I researched things about the countries I would be visiting - customs, things to look out for, whether the water was safe to drink, general health and safety information, and yes, wildlife. I think this is just common sense.

Not sure why this thread just popped up BUT......there is a huge difference with visiting other countries with real possible threats both man made and natural and visiting Disney where people have an idea that they are going into a safe controlled environment. I still say that no one googles dangerous animals when going on vacation to Jamaica or England or the Amazon. Wait, maybe that last one people might.

Otherwise HUGE difference between the real world and Disney.

 

[ford91exploder]

That's just plain irresponsible. Any area that attracts tourists has local societal dangers as well as potential wildlife dangers that you need to be aware of. I wouldn't just hop on a plane and go to Mexico, India, or Columbia...or really anywhere without at least a few quick Google searches to find out what is potentially dangerous.

A little basic research on things/places which are dangerous and local customs (tipping etc) makes trips a lot better.

 

[MisterPenguin]

We stayed at old key west last September. One morning I was on the deck and saw a gators snout streamlining through the water. I knew they were in there but it was still surprising to see. Then a few minutes later the first boat of the day came by....I can’t help but to believe that was to scare the gators. The one I saw never resurfaced in my view.
My issue with this though...the day before, our arrival day, we took the boat to Disney springs. Our captain was telling us about the birdhouses but went out of his way to tell us gators do not live in that canal because it was too shallow. Now, no one asked about gators, no one saw a gator, this info was just given...Disney, why are you going out of your way to lie?

Necromancer!!

 

[jaklgreen]

Otherwise HUGE difference between the real world and Disney.

The real world and Disney??? Disney is not in the real world? That is some pretty good virtual reality. WDW is still part of the world not in a dome. Birds can fly in, bugs, and even alligators. It is a human's own stupidity to let their guard down anywhere in nature.

 

[21stamps]

The real world and Disney??? Disney is not in the real world? That is some pretty good virtual reality. WDW is still part of the world not in a dome. Birds can fly in, bugs, and even alligators.

Agree.

It is a human's own stupidity to let their guard down anywhere in nature.

No, not really, sometimes nature just happens.

It’s a human’s own stupidity to not realize that Disney World is actually located in the real world, and to not know about nature.

 

[JoeCamel]

But why are we not talking about Zika, West Nile, Dengue Fever and the other myrid of ailments the mosquito can carry? Alligators bite seldom, mosquitoes bite often with serious consequences. People - stay north of the Mason Dixon line so we can enjoy Florida in peace.

Run away, there be danger here!

 

[Jimdalva]

The mosquito,, the deadliest creature in the history of mankind. No other creature has killed more people, nothing even comes close. But gators are sure scary.

 

[Skibum1970]

The mosquito,, the deadliest creature in the history of mankind. No other creature has killed more people, nothing even comes close. But gators are sure scary.

Mosquitoes are not frightening to look at it unless you have great eyesight. Gators show a lot of teeth and have a reputation. Plus, I figure that I can take a chance of not catching malaria or West Nile when I get bitten. However, I'm going to be on the losing end no matter what if a gator attacks.

My primary issue with this is what others have alluded to. We're protecting stupidity. The first time I visited Florida came with a warning from my sister who lives in Naples, FL. "If you see water, it has a gator in it." Now, that might be a little hyperbole but I figured that she probably knew better than I did. So, to this day, I still think about gators when I see any bodies of water.

 

[Dizneykid]

I was ignorant to gators for our first visits to Disney but developed what I thought was an irrational fear of it during our most recent trip in 2012. I was so freaked out by it and everyone was telling me it was nearly impossible. I even made a special request to avoid the "alligator bayou" suites at Port Orleans just based on the name. It was bad. I was looking out for them everywhere we went. I agree that it's important to know about the area you are visiting but ultimately I think most visitors assumed the man made waterways at Disney couldn't possibly contain gators. It's unfortunate all around. The tragic death of that little boy was sobering. I'm glad to know that more is being done to prevent a future incident because it's natural for visitors to assume safety. Of course I feel like my fear was validated and sincerely hope a lot more safeguards are in place.

 

[21stamps]

I think most visitors assumed the man made waterways at Disney couldn't possibly contain gators.

I never understood this, manmade or nature made.. it’s part of nature now. It’s a body of freshwater..fish, gators, etc etc etc don’t know the difference between manmade lakes or naturaly made ones.

People still swim in water with a chance of alligators or crocodiles inside. No one would swim in any body of water (besides a pool) if they wanted to be completely separate from nature. Avoid swimming in the swamps, but know that any time you enter a freshwater lake or an ocean- there’s a chance of a deadly attack.

I’ve said this before, but not-so-fun Fact, a surfer in Costa Rica is more likely to be attacked by a crocodile than a shark.

The thing is, we all (should) know this.. but it doesn’t mean that we should stay out of all non-chlorinated bodies of water. Even people outside of Florida, anywhere in the US you probably have some kind of venomous water snake where you live.. or bears, etc etc. We can be aware without living in fear.. attacks are so few and far between that there’s really no reason to stress about it. Attacks make headlines because of their rarity.

 

[Dizneykid]

I never understood this, manmade or nature made.. it’s part of nature now. It’s a body of freshwater..fish, gators, etc etc etc don’t know the difference between manmade lakes or naturaly made ones.

People still swim in water with a chance of alligators or crocodiles inside. No one would swim in any body of water (besides a pool) if they wanted to be completely separate from nature. Avoid swimming in the swamps, but know that any time you enter a freshwater lake or an ocean- there’s a chance of a deadly attack.

I’ve said this before, but not-so-fun Fact, a surfer in Costa Rica is more likely to be attacked by a crocodile than a shark.

The thing is, we all (should) know this.. but it doesn’t mean that we should stay out of all non-chlorinated bodies of water. Even people outside of Florida, anywhere in the US you probably have some kind of venomous water snake where you live.. or bears, etc etc. We can be aware without living in fear.. attacks are so few and far between that there’s really no reason to stress about it. Attacks make headlines because of their rarity.

I understand your point. I'm from a sheltered part of the country and did initially assume that there were no alligators on Disney property. It's safe to say many travelers assume this which is why I think posted signs and awareness are the most effective strategies. I wouldn't have gone into any of those man made waters simply because they did a pretty good job making it look uninhabitable even without signs. It was an unfortunate accident but I totally understand now that gators will go where there's water. I think that's why signs/knowledge are more important than preventing gators from entering the waters.

 

[21stamps]

I understand your point. I'm from a sheltered part of the country and did initially assume that there were no alligators on Disney property. It's safe to say many travelers assume this which is why I think posted signs and awareness are the most effective strategies. I wouldn't have gone into any of those man made waters simply because they did a pretty good job making it look uninhabitable even without signs. It was an unfortunate accident but I totally understand now that gators will go where there's water. I think that's why signs/knowledge are more important than preventing gators from entering the waters.

I’m not being snarky with the following question, I’m genuinely curious,
Does someone, from any part of the country, realize that snakes, fish, turtles, and so on, are in manmade lakes in their part of the country?

I just don’t know if we need signs at every corner to remind us that a poisonous snake or spider could be around.. or signs on every beach near the ocean. I would hate to see something like that happen due to extremely rare attacks. I just can’t imagine that any adult in America would never have heard of alligators being associated with Florida.. it’s on almost every map, and there’s a little known college football team with the name.

 

[Dizneykid]

I’m not being snarky with the following question, I’m genuinely curious,
Does someone, from any part of the country, realize that snakes, fish, turtles, and so on, are in manmade lakes in their part of the country?

I just don’t know if we need signs at every corner to remind us that a poisonous snake or spider could be around.. or signs on every beach near the ocean. I would hate to see something like that happen due to extremely rare attacks. I just can’t imagine that any adult in America would never have heard of alligators being associated with Florida.. it’s on almost every map, and there’s a little known college football team with the name.

I think the difference is that Disney seems set apart from Florida if that makes sense. It's easy (and incorrect apparently) to assume that the beach at Grand Floridian was made to exclude dangerous animals. It seems reasonable to post signs especially since a death has occurred. People think Disney is some magical place where you are safe. It actually is extraordinarily safe most of the time but there's no downside to informing the diverse crowds of visitors that their waters are not protected from migrating wildlife. People really don't know anything about alligators when they don't live among them. I wouldn't let my son wade in those resort beaches because they don't appear to be designed for swimming but I can see how others are tempted to. Signs are an easy way to warn people without necessarily having to obsessively control the natural habits of gators. It really was a freak accident but not one that anyone wants to see happen again.

 

[MaximumEd]

Growing up in rural Alabama has its privileges. Between all the rattlesnakes, copperheads, water moccasins, black widows, brown recluses, hornets, wasps, and fire ants that we have to deal with on a constant basis, gators don’t even make my top ten list of things to be concerned about while on vacation. That being said, I don’t see how someone from any part of the country wouldn’t know that a gator just might be living in a Florida swamp.

 

[Skibum1970]

Interestingly enough, only female mosquitoes will bite you, whereas both male and female alligators find you equally delicious.

And if you really want to up the ante in your next trivia game night: What is the best way to tell apart an alligator from a crocodile? Simple. When they say goodbye, the alligator will see you "later", whereas the crocodile will see you "after awhile".

Facts.

Absolutely awesome.