Watch The Alligators

[lovinwdw]

We were at WDW staying at Coronado Springs from 9/10 through 9/17. Scariest thing I ever saw, there was a 5 foot alligator swimming around in the lake at the resort. I know that is a common thing in Florida, but wholly cannoli, I am definitely not used to that!!! Some of the area around the lake was gated, but there were sections where the alligator could walk right onto the sidewalk and the grass, right around where people would be. They had said at the resort that they had been trying to catch it, but were having a hard time. I swear, every night we would walk down to the lake and look and there it was just swimming on the top of the water. People were feeding it (not me by the way) things like steak and chicken. But, the funniest thing, it wasn't interested in the meat. Some woman threw in some cheese cake and the alligator chomped right down on that.

Just wanted to tell you my little story.

 

[hockeybabe]

Well, I will keep my eyes open! We're staying at CSR 9/28 - 10/03. How did you like the resort?

 

[civileng68]

Common to Floridians? Yep!

Imagine having to be careful when you walk your dog around the lake in the backyard because alligators will come right out and swallow them.

Not to mention we have to be very careful when mowing around this area too. Just last year in our town, someone was killed while mowing around a yard near the water when a 13' alligator came up and attacked.

While Alligators are common, they are really not feared by most. If you stay away from where you know they are, they are really harmless. On land, I'd walk right by one (small one) with little worry. As much as I know most up north that don't see them much, fear them, I hate seeing them shot after attacking, as I know it's their instinct and not so much a hate.

 

[Lynn4Mel]

My brother in law lives just South of Miami and once he took my husband (his brother) and our friend (who has never been down there) fishing in a little canal in a row boat. Well there were a aligators swiming around and from what I hear Ray had to practically be held down because he was freaking out so much and was making the boat rock and Brian and Phil were afraid they were all going to end up in the water.

Those things can find their way into just about anywhere!

 

[MichelleTO]

Wow, I am trying to compare that to something in the North, the closest I can think of is bears up in our Cottage country. However I don't think these are as common as your gators. The bears don't generally attack unless you threaten them or their cubs. However they are common feeders at local dumps and visit cottages for easy food.
I do remember my brother and uncle playing golf at Disney and having a gator on the fairway between them and the green. They got a great photo.

Is this one of the reasons they don't suggest swimming at the Poly?

Cudos to you Floridians! Braver than I!

 

[civileng68]

That's true that they can go about anywhere.


However, outside of the water, they are virtually harmless and you'd really have to be quite dumb to have a bad encounter with one outside of the water. Outside of the water you can't exactly be surprised by them. They hiss loudly if you get anywhere near them. They are really only predatory in the water. Outside of the water they are very defensive.

 

[Florida113]

I am surprised people were feeding the gator. I was under the impression this was against the law in Florida, but I could be wrong. I have heard that they are not half as dangerous as many think and even if you were in the water they might not attack you 'not my thoughs so Florida locals LOL' Still adds a bit of colour to your vacation I think. I hope you had a fantastic time.

 

[civileng68]

I am surprised people were feeding the gator. I was under the impression this was against the law in Florida, but I could be wrong. I have heard that they are not half as dangerous as many think and even if you were in the water they might not attack you 'not my thoughs so Florida locals LOL' Still adds a bit of colour to your vacation I think. I hope you had a fantastic time.

Well Im a Florida resident and Southwest Fl. at that, where thousands of gators live, and while seeing them and learning to live WITH them is part of life, any local who tells you being in the same water as one is well, just nuts.

 

[Jane E.]

About 15 years ago I took my son on the boat ride at Myakka State Park. They was a fisherman in the Myakka River wearing waders. All around him were gators (about 4 or 5). The fisherman didn't seem to mind - neither did the gators. The guide told us that at sundown the river becomes the gators' food bowl & never to go in the river, lakes etc at sundown. That said, when I was a teenager I used to waterski & swim in a lake with a Y program. No person ever was attacked. About 2 years after I quit skiing there, they discovered that there were about 18 gators living on the lake. One boat driver told me about a dog being killed by a gator there.

As most people know, no one should ever feed gators. It is against the law. They'll lose their fear of people. The ones who seem to get attacked the most are children, the elderly & domesticated animals. I heard of a golfer at a golf course who went to get his ball and was attacked by a gator. His buddies had to beat the gator with a club to free him.

They can also run quickly in a straight line for a short distance. If you're ever chased by one - run crooked.

 

[ukcatfan]

I am also from SW Florida. There was a story on the news not too long ago about people being prosecuted for feeding them. It is a pretty hefty fine and I believe that it was a felony charge. The real sad part is that any gator seen being fed by people is destroyed on the spot. They can not take the risk that it is associating people with food.

 

[cosmo531]

don't worry...they only eat people from New Jersey

 

[Simba's Mom]

For you golfers at WDW, DH saw an alligator at the Magnolia course.

 

[Eljay]

Ft. Lauderdale checking in here.
Alligators are prehistoric creatures that react mostly on instinct. They have tiny brains and really don't think rationally or emotionally.
When they are hungry, they chose something that they can realistically tackle, not generally a person. NEVER get near a nest with eggs or between mom & babies. They will go after dogs that are swimming or are close to the shore, sadly.
If Disney wanted to catch them, it would have been done ages ago. I'm sure it adds atmosphere and really isn't a safety issue unless those numb skulls continue to feed them.

 

[safetymom]

Disney does remove alligators that get too large. It's Florida alligators are to be expected.

 

[justplaingoofy]

We've seen plenty of gators around the entrances/exit to Westside (around the movie theatres). Next time your on the bus there, check it out!

 

[soccerchick]

My sister's subdivision only has the gators removed if they are over 5 ft. long. Luckily for me, I haven't seen any when I've visited her. I think I'd if I saw one.

 

[lovethattink]

Alligators are a part of Florida life. Just yesterday, I got a call from my neighbor telling me there was a gator sunning himself next door. Looked out the window and sure enough, there he was on the bank. That neighbor and myself have toddlers.

Please people, do not be ignorant and feed those gators. Naturally those gators are just as afraid of us as we are of them. Feed them, and they lose that fear and become aggressive towards people. They will associate people with food.

As for swimming with gators, I have friends who water ski in Fl. In fact, our young couples class at church had a water ski day at one of the local lakes. Sounds like fun, right? 13+ foot gators in that lake. There is no way you could pay me to do that! Thankfully, no one was hurt, but people are in that lake all the time skiing and jet skiing with those huge gators.

 

[alyssa810]

We saw one once in the water by the boats to Tom Sawyer's island in the Magic Kingdom! It wasn't too big, maybe 3 or 4 feet long, but it was watching a duck like a hawk! Or a like a gator!

 

[bgirldeb]

Not to mention we have to be very careful when mowing around this area too. Just last year in our town, someone was killed while mowing around a yard near the water when a 13' alligator came up and attacked.

You would think the lawnmower would have scared it off!

 

[Beth]

My husband was mowing our back yard with a full size FarmAll tractor and bushhog (mower) attachment on the back.

He was backing the bushhog down into the water's edge to mow as close as possible, and one came out snapping at the attachment!!! He was very grateful to be up on top of a tractor - if it had been a push mower or even a riding lawn mower, it could have been bad.

We went down there later and found pieces of eggs - so we then realized it was a "momma" defending her nest.

THAT is when they are the most dangerous. Like the previous poster said - don't get near the babies and/or nests!!!