Alligator still at BCV

[av8tor]

A few weeks ago I read a post about an alligator being removed from the area around BCV. We were at BCV from 9/7-9/14 and saw an alligator in the river by the quite pool on 9/12 and 9/13. Being from Illinois I don't know alot about gators but this was no small creature, 6-8 feet long.

 

[zurgswife]

Seems that there were 3 gators at BCV and they removed 1 so..there are at least 2 more swimming around still...

 

[ArRzrbk]

I just realized that this famous "gator" is not a mascot of sorts in an area that is safely tucked away. This and the other gator are out roaming free. Isn't this a huge, huge risk to the small children staying at the resort and walking along the water's edge or boating?

Yes, I do know alligators aren't that agressive usually, and I imagine this one is very well fed with all the fish. And I love the Crocodile Hunter (work for Discovery Communications), so I know all about these lovely creatures. Even have a Zoology degree myself. But I am a mother now with two very little boys. I worry.

Char

 

[Tink03477]

The one I saw, which was about 6ft was in the canal by the quiet pool in BCV. I don't believe it can get out of the area though as it is fenced in on the grassy side and the other side has concrete walls. I saw him when I was there during Frances, 9/5. I didn't know there were 2 more though.
Kim

 

[Dizzy4Dizney]

One was still there last Sunday. I posted a pix of him on a previous post.

 

[Cobra B.]

I saw him last weekend. And from what I remember from previous posts if he's agressive or not he cannot be removed until he is 5 feet long at least.

 

[LakeAriel]

The alligator is still there. I just saw her and will post pictures later.

 

[maureenann]

The alligator is still there. I just saw her and will post pictures later.

Yep..we saw it when we were there in July

 

[ralphd]

I am sure they will remove him if he shows any signs of aggression. Disney will probably remove him after he reaches about 5 feet. One of the biggest problems is guests feeding him and the gator associating people with food, which will cause him to become aggressive.

 

[kpatches]

Saw him there in April!!!!!!!!

 

[LakeAriel]

I am sure they will remove him if he shows any signs of aggression. Disney will probably remove him after he reaches about 5 feet. One of the biggest problems is guests feeding him and the gator associating people with food, which will cause him to become aggressive.

My daughter was told the same thing, that once she is a certain length they will relocate her. We were all excited to get a look at her!
Better then the inch long cockaroach near the Epcot entrance or the palmetto bug! yuck!
Needless to say if she becomes a threat she will need to be removed, hopefully humanely!

 

[JimMIA]

Isn't this a huge, huge risk to the small children staying at the resort and walking along the water's edge or boating?

It's probably not dangerous for boating, unless a kid falls out of the boat. Kids walking along the edge of the water are definitely at risk. Alligators are opportunistic hunters, and the vast majority of the attacks we have in Florida every year are either someone walking alongside a lakeshore, or someone trying to rescue a pet who was along the shore.

Often parents think that if they are nearby, they'll be able to intervene, but they forget how fast toddlers are, and have no idea of the speed of an alligator. An average sized alligator can move much faster than you can react, and so can most toddlers. The kid takes a run at the alligator to get a closer look, and the alligator reacts, and you could have a tragedy on your hands even with the parents only a few feet away. At the Everglades, I always recommend that parents never let go of their toddler's hands, and I carry DD4-going-on-24 whenever we are near an alligator.

And I love the Crocodile Hunter

He's an idiot. It's disappointing that Discovery Channel continues to run his shows, although I'm sure it's a money thing.

Every tourist season, we have some parent who takes a toddler in their arms and tries to pull an alligator's tail or poke it the ribs. When we confront them, they always say, "But the Crocodile Hunter does it!" and they recite the famous scene with that moron feeding a croc with his infant son in his arms. Most of them honestly don't think they're taking any big risk because they have seen it done so many times on TV.

Ranger Jim

 

[JimMIA]

One of the biggest problems is guests feeding him and the gator associating people with food, which will cause him to become aggressive.

That's the big issue anywhere you have any wild animal around people. Someone is bound to feed them, and they become habituated to people. A smarter animal like any species of the dog or cat families can become habituated pretty quickly. Alligators have a brain the size of a walnut, so it takes them a little longer, but they eventually "get it."

"Relocation" is really just a euphamism for destroying the animal. Wild animals don't really relocate well, and they usually return to where they were trapped.

"Adverse conditioning" is often successful, especially with dumb animals like alligators. But I don't think it would work in a setting where the animal is sure to be fed.

About the only time an animal is actually relocated is an endangered species like a Florida Panther, or bears out west where they can relocate them very far from the trapping site. And those efforts are often unsuccessful.

The truth is "a fed animal is a dead animal."

Licensed trappers in Florida are paid about $35 per alligator, plus whatever they derive from their hides and meat.

 

[Lesley]

From my recollection there is really no way for a person to come into contact with the alligator, short of jumping off the bridge. The bank on one side is very steep and weedy, with a fence and the pool side is just a wall. Of course I'm sure people feed it....I assume out of ignorance.

Personally I'm more worried when we walk from the BWV to MGM than at the BCV....though I've never actually seen an alligator in the canal going to MGM. There's no way I'd let my kids poke around in the bushes near the water at the BCV though...even if there is a fence. I figure since we know there's a gator nearby its best to keep our eyes open and remain aware in that area.

 

[Stinson]

We stayed in BCV the very first day it opened and there were alligators in the canal by the quiet pool at that time. At that time, management said that the construction workers had fed them, but that the alligators would be soon removed. Since then, we have stayed at BCV on many (perhaps 10) occasions and have always seen alligators. I now think the alligators will be a permanent fixture in the canal.

 

[slmjam]

We were at BCV in July and here's a couple pictures of the gator we saw in the canal. He caused quite a commotion one day. There were maybe 3-4 "official" Disney employees discussing his presence. They were talking about raising the water level in the canal to flush him out??? I have never heard of that before and am not sure where exactly he would be flushed to.....

 

[rparmfamily]

Whoa...that is one large gator!! Wow!

 

[byoung]

Nice photos.

 

[newholidayx2]

we just checked out of the BCV yesterday - was there 6nights
We looked but didnt see the Gator - lots of fish and turtles though

 

[JimMIA]

There were maybe 3-4 "official" Disney employees discussing his presence. They were talking about raising the water level in the canal to flush him out???

Sorry, but you're not in very good hands there!

[Earth to Disney -- They swim!]

How big would you say that 'gator is? It's really impossible to tell from the pictures because there is no perpsective. About the only thing I can go by is the relative thickness of the base of his tail, but it looks like a pretty good sized 'gator. Maybe 8 feet...or bigger?