Page 13 - Talk of Tequesta - September '22

The Talk Of Tequesta, Page 13

norThern noTes

Alligators – One Of Florida’s Most Misunderstood Animals

By Katie Roundtree, Director of Finance and Administration, Northern Palm Beach County Improvement District

Did you know that your Al l iga t ors
chance of being attacked by less than 4 feet
an alligator is about 1 in 24 in length are not
million, while your chance of large enough to
winning the Florida Lottery be dangerous to
is about 1 in 23 million – alligators are more aggressive and female alligators are protective people or pets,
one million times better?* of nests. Seventy-five percent of alligator attacks occur during unless handled.
The American alligator, May through September. You should never handle an alligator, even a small one, because
Florida’s state reptile, is a • Never approach an alligator or alligator nest. Alligators it is illegal and alligator bites can result in serious infection. If
conservation success story. approached by humans may become alarmed, think that they are there’s an alligator under 4 feet in your swimming pool, on your
Florida has a healthy and being threatened and defend themselves. Alligator mothers are porch or in a similar situation, call the Nuisance Alligator Hotline
stable alligator population, known to be fearless when protecting their nest or babies. at (866) FWC-GATOR, (866) 392-4286.
which is estimated at 1.3 million alligators of every size. They • Never feed or entice an alligator to approach you. Not • Create a barrier on your property if you live near the
are found in freshwater lakes, ponds, swamps and slow-moving only is this dangerous, it is also illegal. Alligators who have been water’s edge. The most effective measure is installation of a
rivers in all 67 counties in Florida. fed by humans cannot differentiate one human from another wall, fence or vegetation buffer. Any construction or planting
Alligators are an integral part of Florida’s ecosystem and and may charge unsuspecting humans looking for a free meal. like these discourages a larger, more dangerous, alligator from
play a significant part in the ecology of our wetlands. Alligators Even worse, if other alligators see this feeding, they may join the entering the area. These are not foolproof by any means since
have an important role in the food chain and help keep other first alligator and copy the behavior. Be careful feeding ducks, alligators have been known to climb chain-link fences. For these
animal populations in balance. They are one of Florida’s most turtles or fish as alligators may be lurking nearby. Dispose of fish types of fences, a metal overhang of at least 20 inches in depth
misunderstood animals and learning a little more about them may scraps leftover from fishing in garbage cans at boat ramps and with a minimum angle of 45 degrees should be installed at the
help humans and alligators continue to coexist. Here are some fish camps. Do not throw them into the water. You may not be top to prevent a climbing alligator from scaling over the fence.
important facts and tips to consider while living with alligators: intentionally feeding alligators, but the result is the same. Report Remember, your chances of being attacked by an alligator
• Be aware in or near water. Never let pets or children illegal feeding or enticing to local authorities. are very small and using your common sense and tips from this
near water unsupervised. Swim in designated swimming areas • Contact authorities if you suspect that an alligator may article, alligators and humans can live together safely. Alligators
only. Never go into the water between dusk and dawn when pose danger. Contact Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation are an important part of Florida’s natural history as well as an
alligators are most active. Ninety percent of attacks occur Commission (FWC) at (866) FWC-GATOR, (866) 392-4286. integral component of aquatic ecosystems.
on persons wading or swimming at the water’s edge where Usually alligators under 4 feet in length pose little to no danger, For more information go to www.myfwc.com or www.
alligators can lunge at prey approaching the water. Be careful but if an alligator of any size shows signs of potential conflict with crocodopolis.net.
around heavy vegetation at the water’s edge where alligators humans, then contact the authorities. FWC agents investigate NPDES tip: Planting a rain garden with native plants
are known to lie in the daytime. an average of 16,000 complaints annually. Not all of these somewhere around your home helps lock rainwater in the ground,
• Keep pets on a leash and away from the water’s edge. complaints turn out to be aggressive alligators. The FWC places reducing the flow of pollutants and poisons into the drains. Using
Never let pets swim in undesignated areas, even for a short time, the highest priority on public safety and administers a Statewide organic fertilizers and pesticides in your garden further protects
since they often resemble alligators’ natural prey. Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP). The goal of SNAP is to and brings health to your yard and all the species living there.
• Be cautious during warmer months. Alligator mating proactively address alligator threats in developed areas, while *Sources: Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
season is between May and September. During this time male conserving alligators in areas where they naturally occur. and Florida Lottery.

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