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Are Alligators Too Close For Your Comfort In Sunny Florida?

Welcome to Sunny Florida and Alligator Country! Alligators are a part of living in Florida so it is imperative that you learn what you should do when you see an Alligator. Learn about your environment, alligators are a part of it here. Just because you don't live on a canal or a lake, does not mean you will not encounter an alligator in your back yard. This photo is courtesy of the Sun Sentinal Newspaper in Fort Lauderdale where an alligator came into the backyard of this lady's house. She had walked out to do some yardwork in the morning and there was this alligator slipping into her pool!

Alligators near humans in FLorida

The more we humans encroach on the Everglades and natural habitats the more we will collide with the American Alligator. There are about 1.5 million alligators statewide and there are over 18 million humans living in their territory. They are most active during breeding season which is spring and summer. They are no longer on the Endangered Species list. The State Of Florida has placed them on the Species of Special Concern List. The state authorizes one hunt per year at the end of October and last year 100 alligators were taken during the hunt.

Trappers that come and get the alligators over 4 feet earn a living by selling the Alligator hide and meat. It is a popular menu item in Southern eateries. My kids told me it tastes like chicken. I would not try it.

There are Alligator farms you can visit in Florida to watch Alligator wrestling and learn more about this species. I wanted my kids to have a respect for this animal so I took them all when they were younger to an Alligator Farm in St Augustine.

The biggest problem is that people catch the baby alligators and keep them at home and feed them. You have to remember that the Alligator's brain is only the size of a pea, they live on instinct. They do not think their actions through. They connect you feeding them to you being food. DO NOT FEED ALLIGATORS. And I don't care how cute you think the babies are; you are training them to eat kids and dogs when you feed them. It is also against the law to keep one captive in your home. My brother had pet alligators when we were kids living in California. He would keep them in our bathtub to scare me and my friends. I learned a lot about them back then.

DO NOT FEED ALLIGATORS
Do not antagonize them
Keep your dogs and children away from water edges
Fence your yard and put the fence under the ground too, they can crawl under the fence
Don't swim at dusk or dawn, alligators are most active then.

If you see an alligator more than 4 feet long call 1-866-392-4286 which is a statewide toll free number and they will most likely send a licensed trapper to get the alligator removed. This conservation agency removes more 5,000 alligators a year and gets more than 17,000 calls each year of nuisance alligators. Relocation of the alligator is not an option because they will just come back. They can not put them back in the wild because that disrupts their social structure in that population.

Since 1948 there have been 419 alligator attacks with 20 deaths. 3 women in Sunrise Florida were killed by alligators in 2006 in one week in May.

10 out of 20 deaths happened while swimming.

6 were killed by the shore or when they were wading.

4 deaths do not have details and 9 people were under the age of 20.

Dogs and children are most vulnerable. DO NOT ALLOW YOUR CHILDREN at the edges of ponds, lakes or canals. Alligators are found in all freshwater sources including land locked water.

For more information you can call Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 850-488-4676 or go to www.MyFWC.com/alligator.

Cities of greatest concern are areas near the Everglades like Weston, Coral Springs, Parkland and Kendall. Because development is encroaching and the alligators are moving from west to east. We can not create more Wetlands. So face it, we are in ALLIGATOR COUNTRY!

If you are looking for a Realtor who understands your Palm Beach County Real Estate needs and are selling your home or are looking for the right home for your family contact Nestor and Katerina Gasset at 561-753-0135.

Photo courtesy of Sun Sentinal.

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Visit our profile to find out more about our services. Call us today at 561.753.0135 or Toll Free 800.444.3316. Contact us by email if you prefer by clicking on email me on the right side of this page under our photo. To view all the Palm Beach County Homes For Sale Click here and then click on Multiple Listing Search where the globe is on the right side of the screen that opens up. We know Palm Beach County and will help you get your home Sold if you need to Sell your home and help you buy your Palm Beach County Home call us today.

Posted by Nestor & Katerina Gasset Realtors® Wellington Florida Luxury Homes on 09/28/2007 02:47 PM

Comments (45)

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Originally posted at: South Florida Real Estate and...: Are Alligators Too Close For Your Comfort In Sunny Florida?

This post has been included in Florida Information Palm Beach County, FL Information Wellington, FL Information

45 Comments on Are Alligators Too Close For Your Comfort In Sunny Florida?

SEP

2007

I would be afraid..I saw an alligator farm in Florida in the late 1970's....

This is great info for people to be aware and also for info to call to take care of.

Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman (RA) Mililani Real Estate

Well, that is another thing that I loved about Hawaii, no alligators and no snakes! We got lots of those here too! And Poisonous ones! Katerina

You do have to be aware of the gators. Years ago my wife (before she was my wife) found an alligator under her car when got ready to head to work! Your post covers it all...Be respectful of gators including The FLORIDA GATORS!

GREAT post!!! People forget to watch our for the gators down here!!!! They WERE here first!!!

Wow, what a post !! I remember as I child we use to vacation in Miami every year and we always brought one home and in lived in a box. Guess that doesn't happen anymore.

Katerina, You got this up amazingly fast. I am not the kind of conservationist that wants to "save" all species. Personally, I think alligators, sharks, and piranha could completely disappear and I wouldn't shed a tear.

Bill Roberts

Katerina, my parents live in Boca Raton and several years ago in their neighborhood the HOA circulated a letter to the residents which stated in part much of what you say here. The letter detailed that it had come to the HOA's attention that some residents were feeding the alligators, that there were many young children and pets in the neighborhood and that it was "not in the best interest of the community to feed the alligators. DO NOT FEED THE ALLIGATORS." Every community has its own problems, but this is certainly not one that you want to have to deal with.

Katerina, Years ago I didn't even realize there were alligators there. Having never visited before (except when I was so young I hardly remembered), it was a shock. This is wonderful information, after more visits I have seen them out in the open quite often.

Katerina, I'm one of those Florida boys that has no problem swimming in Florida lakes. Most gators just swim off when they see us. I used to wade fish in lake toho in Kissimee and it is full of gators. They would just pop up about 10 feet from me, have a look and swim off. I got the feeling they didn't like me:)

When I think of how many times we swam in the lakes and canals around here when I was young, and didn't even realize there were gators in them thar waters, I cringe! Did you see the Animal Planet (I think it was) special on Sanibel/Captiva and how they finally had to concede to the maximum length rule...after someone was killed there? yikes...I'm an animal lover, but gators are just plain scary!

Great post!

SEP

2007

Gary Waters - Realtor Viera and Rockledge Fl

Go Gators! Thanks for your comment. Wow, I would be scared to death if I saw an alligator under my car! I am glad she saw it in time. How scary is that! Katerina

Katerina to think I was worried about the little Aligator Lizard my son found in our garage!! Great information for us on AR and the people reading your posts elsewhere!!

Barbara-Jo & Bill - - Florida Realty Professional

Barbara and Bill- Yes, they were here long before us. And they are to be respected and looked at from a distance. They also can run really fast. Katerina

Missy Caulk- Ann Arbor Real Estate

Missy- That is against the law now. Thanks for your comment. Lots to learn and fun to learn about our country and all its inhabitants! Katerina

Bill Roberts - "Baby Boomer" Retirement Planning

Bill- You can give me a topic to write about and even if I know something about it I can write a post or give a speech about it within an hour or so. If I don't know about the subject give me a day or two and you will not know that I did not know anything about it. This was my strong point in school. I remember in my first marriage, I had a two year old and pregnant with my second son. My X was studying so hard for the CA real estate exam and I was not because I was busy with our toddler, etc. He would get so mad at me for not studying and say we shouldn't be wasting our money on me taking the test if I don't study. Well, he failed and I passed with a super high score. He ate crow!

I don't like alligators. I am scared of them. But I think that they must have their place in the circle of life. I am also scared to death of sharks. I never was until I watched JAWS when I was 17 years old. I lived in Hawaii at the time and my friends and I would jump right out of the water when a piece of seaweed touched us for fear it was a shark! But we should not be so hard on them. There are over 300 different sharks and only 30 of them are dangerous. The largest fish in the ocean is a whaleshark who is no harm to us at all. And we play with nurse sharks here, they are very gentle and don't eat us. Again, they do play a part in the harmony of the eco systems of the world. Now, I guess I should do a post on sharks. NO, that will have to wait, I have to blog some listings and write some more secrets of success posts. Katerina

Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate

Brian- That is a real problem. One of my friends was riding her horse and an alligator bit the horse, her horse started stomping on the alligator but in the process he threw my friend and stomped on her too, broke her neck, collar bone and ribs, and pelvis. SHe is fine now but it took 2 years of healing for her. Alligators are scary because they only act on instinct. BTW, I do know Bill Gassett on Active Rain. His name is spelled with 2 T's at the end and ours has 1. We have not delved into the family tree thing yet. Nestor is Cuban, born in Cuba, and is 3/4 Spanish and 1/4 French. Thanks for the email. Katerina

Carole Provenzale Owner, Feng Shui Long Island

Carole- The first time I came to Florida we drove from Disney world to the Space Center and we saw hundreds of alligators bathing in the sun along the highway. I thought, this would not be a good place for a car to break down! Katerina

Bryant Tutas

Bryant- You are one brave country boy, aren't you! You will never catch me in a lake around here. I have lived here for over 12 years and I don't swim where there are Alligators. I will swim in the ocean and in my pool. I lived in Washington where we had gorgeous clear lakes and rivers, not canals like here. Katerina

Loretta Buckner | Your Real Estate Consultant and Suncoast FL Specialist

Loretta- No I did not see that Animal Planet show. I know, it is scary! I am glad you did not get bit by one! I know there are very few people that actually get killed by Alligators. More people get killed by lightning. Katerina

Sandy Noll - Realtor, Eagent - Bothell, WA

Well, you are only going to find pet alligators in Washington! You are safe! Thanks for the comment. My desire is to add value for my readers here on AR and the public consumers and post localism posts that are interesting and useful. Katerina

Katerina, Thanks for a great post! Another Eco All Star Gold Star!! There is one sentence in your post that I like the best...

There are about 1.5 million alligators statewide and there are over 18 million humans living in their territory

Awesome!! I think it is important that we remember that. You can't blame the animal for everything. After all, they were here first.

Oh my goodness!!! Nope. Couldn't live in Florida. I would live in fear. :)

Stephanie Edwards-Musa The Woodlands, TX Real Estate

Stephanie- THANK YOU!!!! I am glad I can add value to our community and to your Eco group. Respect nature and when you encroach on nature than you pay the consequences. We have racoons, possums, armadillos, lizards, frogs, toads and they all come on to our property. But this is where they lived! Who are we to complain? Katerina

Pamela Williamson St.Louis, Missouri Real Estate

Hey, it is not as bad as it sounds, when you consider that in over 60 years there have only been 419 attacks. If you stay away you will be fine. There are 18 million people living here! Katerina

Katerina, I think you maybe developing a new niche in real estate marketing. I wrote a similar post some time ago. Living in Colorado we have to learn to live with deer, elk and coyote. Have small pets? Watch for birds of prey. We humans build and live in the animals neighborhood, not the the other way around.

Dena Stevens~Ecobroker/ Do the Right Thing

Dena- Thanks! I take that as a nice compliment coming from you! I love Eco posts and since I am a vegetarian, into non toxic household cleaners and I am a natural health advocate I love writing posts on subjects I am passionate about. Katerina

Katerina, how does one treat an alligator that's under four feet long? Do you catch it, kill it, what? Thanks for sharing the info.

Yolanda Hoversten - O'Fallon Real Estate Agent

You are not allowed to touch, kill, feed or harass alligators of any size. The trappers are the only ones that can kill the alligators. But they have to be over 4-5 feet long. If you see one that size, you have to leave him alone. Let him go his way. Thanks for your comment. Katerina

Too close for me! Their teeth are much larger than those of mice and snakes -- I don't care much for them either! Thanks for sharing about your region!

SEP

2007

Great article! I live on a 6-acre pond, and each of the 5 years I've been here we've had a gator come in from the wetlands to the south... and they've been BIG!!! FWC is getting more reluctant to remove them until they are a PROVEN problem... like my neighbor's dog was grabbed last year, but he managed to get the dog from the gator before any damage was done... not a safe thing to do!

I'm going to share your blog with my HOA....Thanks and great work!

Mary Bigelow, Your Go Green Lender!

Mary- Thanks for your comment! Do you know how many people move here with no idea about alligators? I like to know about my area before I move to it. Katerina

Eva Armstrong - Environmental Visions

Eva- Thank you for sharing my article. HOA s need to know about the treatment of alligators and make sure they make rules to NOT feed them! This is the biggest problem! Katerina

No Kidding Katerina! I visited a friend in Central Florida last year. They can't leave their dogs out alone because they have some big uns in their lake -- scared me! I wasn't going out there either!

Mary Bigelow, Your Go Green Lender!

And you and I are not Broker Bryant! So we will stay out and Bryant- You can go in! He is one brave guy! Katerina

OCT

2007

Great post with lots of excellent information.... we would always camp on the edge of the pond at the RV campgrounds when my husband had a job in Florida.... and we saw the baby alligators swimming. It creeps me out even now thinking a gator could be under the RV....

Katerina,

Even with all the great advice you give in this post I would be scared to death to have an alligator in my pool. We are a bit too far north for them here but they do have them down at the beach.

OCT

2007

Geez! I'm going to look differently at those wonderful photos you post of waterside homes!

And alligator meat is absolutely delicious! I had it once at a Washington, DC eatery that served it, to the disdain of the local tree huggers, who after reading this post would not likely be alligator huggers!

Debbie Malone, ABR, e-PRO, ASP

Debbie- Thanks for your comment. Pretty scary thought! I always check in my pool; I usually check for snakes first because you can not see them so well. I have found the black garden snakes in my pool. Katerina

Rita Taylor | Sanford NC Real Estate & Homes for Sale in Sanford North Carolina

Down at what beach? In the ocean? Salt water? I am scared to death of them! Katerina

Patricia Kennedy

You have to keep populations in balance. When a species rebounds like the Alligator did, you have to kill some so there is NOT an eco imbalance, and some are actually raised now for hide and meat. There are a lot of uses for the alligator and it happens to be a good industry. Katerina

Katerina, you hear alot about attacks on humans but never the details such as you've summarized here. Good job!

Katrina, this was a great post about the alligator. The Alligator Farm is still going strong in St. Augustine, one day I may even visit. It took me 3 years to find somewhere to see the gators in their natural enviroment and that was at Lake Woodruff.

I've had Gator Tail, I don't think it tastes like chicket at all. It has a taste all its own, and if cooked right

Jeff Geoghan MBA, - Lancaster PA Real Estate Expert

Jeff- Thanks for your comment! I appreciate your visit! Katerina

DEC

2007

the reason why alligators are crosing paths with us isthey have nowere to go,we are destroying ther habitat.I am a 11 year old trying to help alligators,i hope this helps.

Dear Cody- You are right. Thank you for telling us more about alligators. I hope you can help them if that is what you love to do.

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