Gator Sightings!

[Rhonda]

When and where have you seen alligators at FW?

We see them alsmost every trip--usually around the banks of the lake, away from the beach/marina area.

On our last trip a couple of weeks ago, we saw one from the water, right on the bank of the lake by the old River Country!

 

[Gatordad]

i thought someone told me t hey didn't have them in the big lake.....

 

[KarenW]

i thought someone told me t hey didn't have them in the big lake.....

If it's water in Fl, there's a gator.

 

[Colson39]

Yep, it's impossible for them to keep them out of anywhere permanently, they'll find a way in at some point. That's why they have been sighted pretty much everywhere on Disney property, from Bay Lake to Tom Sawyers Island.

 

[Gatordad]

The Disney guy told me they pull them out..... Frankly I think they should stay...... It's the snakes that freak me out.

 

[nbodyhome]

Never at FW, not yet. I am actually surprised.

I have only seen them in the water at the Polynesian, and at the Beach Club. There is always the possibility of course, but I expect that Disney keeps after them and moves them to other areas around property.

 

[F4disneyfan]

We usually see them along the back bank going down towards the lake when we take out the canoes or peddle boats while we are over on our annual day trip to FW with the kids. We have seen them from as small as about 3 feet up to over 8 and 9 feet long.

 

[akamom]

A friend of mine has seen one at Coronado Springs.

 

[mike k.]

SEEN a 2 mos. old gator in the bike barn canal at FW dining on a baby duck.
Ruined my day.
Mike

 

[We4mickey]

We saw one last year in the canal that you ride the canoes and paddle boats in. We have posted pictures of it in some other threads. Nikkole if your out there post the picture.

 

[HeatherPage]

to over 8 and 9 feet long

...gulp

 

[nbodyhome]

We usually see them along the back bank going down towards the lake when we take out the canoes or peddle boats while we are over on our annual day trip to FW with the kids. We have seen them from as small as about 3 feet up to over 8 and 9 feet long.

I have never seen one that large on Disney property - wow!!!! I thought they'd move one size away from the main areas.

 

[Colson39]

They actually do move them when they find them, although that would be the largest I've ever heard of at Disney.

Unfortunately, they can grow to twice that size in the Everglades. Remember last year, when all of a sudden alligators were attacking (and killing unfortunately) quite a few people in Florida and the South? Some of those were monster gators. Just thinking about those poor people gives me the shivers....

 

[ftwildernessguy]

I don't know - an 8 or 9 foor gator on Disney? Sometimes it's hard to judge size. Anyway, one that large I don't believe can be relocated - I think anything over 4 feet or so must be euthanized if it is determined to be a "nuisance gator." They are territorial and their homing instinct is pretty strong any larger than that.

 

[Colson39]

Just did a quick look up, the Fish and Wildlife Commission handles gator removal, and they only allow licensed trappers to do so, and there is only one allowed per county.

States that they remove up to 7000 nuisance alligators a year on average, with up to 18,000 complaints. Couldn't find any information on size limits, however I did find a really disturbing picture of an alligator with a dog in it's mouth. Really wish I wouldn't have seen that :/

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Check this out:http://www.gator-aid.com/info.html

 

[F4disneyfan]

I have never seen one that large on Disney property - wow!!!! I thought they'd move one size away from the main areas.

Ye there was also an 8 footer at Coronado in the pond by the main road as you turn onto the property. We talked to one of our fishing guides and he was telling us about one diver they had in Bay Lake looking at the cement pillars for the monorail that was swatted by a gators tail he said the gator was about 10-12 feet long. Now without actually seeing it I have no idea but I can see it being true the body of water is large enough and the food supply is certainly not an issue with the size of the Bass etc that are in the lakes there.

 

[Colson39]

Check this out:http://www.gator-aid.com/info.html

Oh yea, that I understand, most trappers do keep the gators, which is why they only allow a limited amount. I'm just wondering what size limits they have on relocating alligators, although I can see where this is going, they probably consider any gator that doeesn't leave the property to be a nuisance gator.

Nice link by the way, I've heard of Gator-Aid before. Now that gators are no longer endangered, they're having a lot harder of a time convincing people to sympathize with the plight of the American Alligator.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Did you notice the size info on that site, though? That's what I was referring to. I don't know if there is any rule re. this, but it confirms what I was saying about size and relocation.

 

[ORLCampers]

I haven't personally seen any gators in WDW, but have seen pictures of a few. On a related note, I live in South Orlando and just had the nuisance alligator trapper out to my house this week to "harvest" one that has been hanging around the end of my boat dock. I'm usually not worried about them as I've water skiied in Orlando all my life and know they are around, but seeing them everyday makes things different (not to mention my 2 little ones and dog).

I agree with what Ftwildernessguy is saying about most gators over 4 feet not being relocated based on my conversation with the trapper. I called the Game commission and within a few hours the trapper called me and said he would be out to "harvest" our gator. No talk of relocation. He said the population has grown so large that in most cases, they harvest them. The trappers themselves make money this way by selling the hide and gator meat. There is even talk in Florida this year of upping the limit during the annual hunting season.

Understand this is a stray from the topic, but I figured I'd provide some insight into the process.

Our gator (estimated to be 6 to 8 ft by the trapper) has yet to eat the chicken the trapper left, so we wait.