Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl in Tampa
You overgeneralize. I have been swimming and water skiing in lakes throughout central Florida since my teenage years.
However, I will concede that in those early years the alligator was virtually a threatened species. But, it has made a roaring (no pun intended) comeback and we now have alligator overpopulation.
In my opinion it is foolhardy to think that a metropolitan population of 100,000 humans should accommodate themselves to the presence of very large alligators moving about in their midst.
This is no time to be squeamish about removing local alligators, particularly in view of the well know fact that many foolish people feed them because they like being able to brag about seeing them.
Proper wildlife management is not to simply let wildlife run unfettered among us. We should observe the guidelines of the Fish and Wildlife Commission.
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You are right, I remember when they were a protected species and you really didn't see them very much. I remember going into the water back then and the first time I really remember them becoming an issue was in the early 70's. I worked for a company down in Boca Raton that built a rec center and built a man made lake for their employees and families to swim in. That never happened because once it was built, it became populated with gators. It became a fishing only lake. Now, there must not be much of a demand for alligator boots and purses because there are too many.