**UPDATE - CSR Gator**

[Janet2k]

Wow! I missed that whole episode. I'm glad they caught the gator.

It's amazing to see what I've missed here on the Dis over the past couple of weeks. Dis'ers are the best at sharing info. Thank you so much for sharing your photos.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

No, you shouldn't take the time to run in a zig zag pattern. According to the local news, alligators are very fast over short distances. If you run in a zig zag pattern, you won't put enough space between you and the gator. Just run away as fast as possible. Better yet, don't get close enough to make it an issue!

Not only will one not put enough space between them & the gator but the gator will go straight & therefore making it even easier for the gator to catch the person...

 

[A Mickeyfan]

As a FL resident may I just say (without trying to alarm anyone) that 'gators are very very fast. They don't look like they are but trust me, they are. They are not dangerous as long as you leave them alone but please do not encourage your children to go looking for them and especially don't approach one thinking you'll be able to outrun it if it charges. If you want a picture make good use of that zoom lens and take it from a distance.

Actually some can be dangerous if they have been fed by a human. You would not know which has been fed & which hasn't so just figure they have & stay clear away. I live in SW Fl near Sanibel/Captiva. A few years ago a woman was doing some landscaping in her yard where she lived (Sanibel) & a gator came up from behind her & grabbed her. She was rescued but eventually died. She did nothing to that gator, didn't even realize she was near one until it was too late. Last year another guy (landscaper) from Punta Gorda was hot & sweaty from working on someones lawn & jumped into the canal to cool off, a gator got him & killed him. A few years ago in the middle of the state (can't remember the town) there were kids that were swmining in the lake, they swam there all the time. This time they went a dusk (very dangerous time) & a gator ate one of the kids..

The best advise anyone can give on gators is to stay as far away as possible. Do not go in any body of water in Fl unless it says it is safe to swim. If it is not a public place & no signs are up that allow it, do not do it Not only should parents not encourage their children to go looking for one, but should tell them not to & explain why. Gators also seem to like to eat pets.. such as dogs & cats that run near the water banks (at least down where I live). Also for you golfers... if golfing while visiting FL & your ball goes near one (or into the water) do not attempt to get it, just count it as a lost ball. It is not worth the risk. Gators are nothing to take lightly.. the one at CSR seems pretty small compared to some of them.. wonder where it's family is at (on Disney's property)

 

[Minnesota!]

Actually some can be dangerous if they have been fed by a human. You would not know which has been fed & which hasn't so just figure they have & stay clear away. I live in SW Fl near Sanibel/Captiva. A few years ago a woman was doing some landscaping in her yard where she lived (Sanibel) & a gator came up from behind her & grabbed her. She was rescued but eventually died. She did nothing to that gator, didn't even realize she was near one until it was too late. Last year another guy (landscaper) from Punta Gorda was hot & sweaty from working on someones lawn & jumped into the canal to cool off, a gator got him & killed him. A few years ago in the middle of the state (can't remember the town) there were kids that were swmining in the lake, they swam there all the time. This time they went a dusk (very dangerous time) & a gator ate one of the kids..

The best advise anyone can give on gators is to stay as far away as possible. Do not go in any body of water in Fl unless it says it is safe to swim. If it is not a public place & no signs are up that allow it, do not do it Not only should parents not encourage their children to go looking for one, but should tell them not to & explain why. Gators also seem to like to eat pets.. such as dogs & cats that run near the water banks (at least down where I live). Also for you golfers... if golfing while visiting FL & your ball goes near one (or into the water) do not attempt to get it, just count it as a lost ball. It is not worth the risk. Gators are nothing to take lightly.. the one at CSR seems pretty small compared to some of them.. wonder where it's family is at (on Disney's property)

Boy oh boy did I get the chills! SOOOOOO glad I live in MN!!! No gators (or poisonous snakes, for that matter) around here!!

 

[disneyfan67]

I know I might be in the minority and probably will be flamed for this but something needs to be done about the Gator population. Florida should issue a two week special hunting permit to experienced gator hunters. This would be just to "thin the herd" and could be closely monitered. I'm not talking about everyday Joe's going out with rifles either but trained people who deal with Gators everyday.

I know that we as humans, have overbuilt homes onto former wetlands that used to be thier homes, etc, etc. There's nothing you can do about that now and those homes or people aren't going away. You have now had 3 people die in the past two weeks due to Gator attacks and it didn't have to happen. Every other year they could do this and it would help keep the population down and put the fear of humans back into the Gators. The're getting used to people and are losing their fear and it also doesn't help when idiots feed them either.

It a shame that it has come to this but, IMO, I feel something needs to be done sooner than later. Florida is the number one vaction destination of the USA and these people aren't going away so the likely hood of Gator attacks will increase. That's my two cents on this matter.

 

[Quinn222]

I know I might be in the minority and probably will be flamed for this but something needs to be done about the Gator population. Florida should issue a two week special hunting permit to experienced gator hunters.

Florida does have a season for permitted hunting of 'gators.

 

[litlpixie]

Aren't you supposed to run in a zig-zag if chased by a gator?
Anyway parents-take your kids to see the gator, remember, you don't have to be able to outrun the gator, so long as you can outrun your kids...
Stand by with the extinguisher....

Hobbes, your'e a trip!!!!

 

[safetymom]

They have extended the hunting season for gators this year because of the larger than normal number of gators.

 

[Disneynutbsv]

Great pics! Looks like "Smiley" is looking for a ...hand out. (What can I say, I love the Jungle Cruise!!!)

My son loves watching that planning dvd and says he can't wait to ride the "floating bench" like Dave

That's pretty neat to see an alligator like that

 

[samefay]

I remember last May while staying at the SoG spotting an alligator in the water as we were walking to the Poly. I believe they won't disturb any gators as long as they're under 4 ft.

(I kept my distance!)

 

[sap1227]

..... A few years ago in the middle of the state (can't remember the town) there were kids that were swmining in the lake, they swam there all the time. This time they went a dusk (very dangerous time) & a gator ate one of the kids..

That little boy went to my church

Please be careful if you see a Gator and PLEASE DO NOT FEED THEM ANYTHING!!!

Christy

 

[Wendy1953]

Got a chance to see the gator at CSR. They are still trying to catch him and were chasing him around the lake today. Got some good shots of him. He lookd like he was waiting to be feed.

Looks like at least two different gators to me....one is much larger than the other......Sure they weren't Mom and Daughter/or Son or Dad and Mom/Daughter/orSon???

 

[Feralpeg]

A gator crawled in a dog door of a home here after a dog. The woman shot the gator twice. It didn't do any significant damage to the gator. The authorities took the gator back to the lake near the home and set it free. They then issued a warning citation to the woman for shooting the gator without a license.

That is just one reason I will never have a dog door in Florida!

 

[Buzz2001]

Looks like at least two different gators to me....one is much larger than the other......Sure they weren't Mom and Daughter/or Son or Dad and Mom/Daughter/orSon???

Same gator. Just photos as he/she swam closer to the deck at CSR that overhangs onto the lake.

 

[Marseeya]

A gator crawled in a dog door of a home here after a dog. The woman shot the gator twice. It didn't do any significant damage to the gator. The authorities took the gator back to the lake near the home and set it free. They then issued a warning citation to the woman for shooting the gator without a license.

That is just one reason I will never have a dog door in Florida!

But she probably would have gotten an award for shooting a human intruder.

 

[Judge Fudge]

This reminded me of when I went to South Carolina. My company opened up a warehouse down there, and this little guy was in our pond. He was a pretty nice gator, only hissed when he thought you were threatening his food. I took this picture but got no closer (just a standard 3x zoom, no digital). Luckily he was at the bottom of a pretty steep embankment too. Since then they removed him, but I'll always remember my gator friend who enjoyed KFC. (Which I know we shouldn't have been feeding him, but we knew he was being relocated anyway)

 

[nhpooh]

A gator crawled in a dog door of a home here after a dog. The woman shot the gator twice. It didn't do any significant damage to the gator. The authorities took the gator back to the lake near the home and set it free. They then issued a warning citation to the woman for shooting the gator without a license.

That is just one reason I will never have a dog door in Florida!

I must tell our friends that live there this. When we move down, I will remember too. Thanks.

 

[F4disneyfan]

We go out to Merritt Island every trip to Florida and I go looking for gators my DW is freaked out by this the closest I have been is about 35 feet to a 5.5 footer he was sunning himself beside the water along the driveway heading out of the guest info centre to the preserve. It was very cool to see him then he got startled as I tried to move in a bit close for some better pics and he jumped into the water and swam away.

 

[BamaFan121s]

We've spotted them before in the various 'lakes' scattered around on the property. A CM told us once that there had been plans for a river boat type ride at AK, but (in addition to other things) one factor that made them abandon it was they couldn't control the gators in the water there.

 

[jjk]

Hoping not to see too many of these during our trip in August