Unwanted New Neighbor

[Aloha1]

So due to flooding caused by Irma, our neighborhood pond became a lake. And with the lake came a gator about 5-6 feet long. Before Irma,we had plenty of ducks, egrets, and cormorants at our pond and even a heron or two. Now, zip, zilch, nada ( and they say animals are dumb). So, how do we get rid of this pest? Do we take up a neighborhood collection to hire a trapper? ( is that legal?) Does the State or County handle this? All serious solutions are welcome but please don't answer that "It's just nature". Overpopulation of gators is not "nature", it's a failure of conservation management.

[village dreamer]

maybe in time , the lake will go back to the pond.

[JoMar]

It is just nature....conservation management is humans attempt to change that. Not saying that it's wrong, only that we can find any excuse to change what we find offensife.....we should call it for what it is. Controlled extermination.

[Mleeja]

So due to flooding caused by Irma, our neighborhood pond became a lake. And with the lake came a gator about 5-6 feet long. Before Irma,we had plenty of ducks, egrets, and cormorants at our pond and even a heron or two. Now, zip, zilch, nada ( and they say animals are dumb). So, how do we get rid of this pest? Do we take up a neighborhood collection to hire a trapper? ( is that legal?) Does the State or County handle this? All serious solutions are welcome but please don't answer that "It's just nature". Overpopulation of gators is not "nature", it's a failure of conservation management.

You are right, animals are not dumb. If there is not a consistent food supply, the gator will move on. Give it time.

[village dreamer]

I have seen a lot of dead and squish snakes on the road after Irma , flooded out I guess.

[DonH57]

Mother nature will do as she pleases through her timing and schedule.

[Topspinmo]

maybe in time , the lake will go back to the pond.

or in the dry season a weed patch?:22yikes:

[Barefoot]

So due to flooding caused by Irma, our neighborhood pond became a lake. And with the lake came a gator about 5-6 feet long. Before Irma,we had plenty of ducks, egrets, and cormorants at our pond and even a heron or two. Now, zip, zilch, nada ( and they say animals are dumb). So, how do we get rid of this pest?

The gator will move on, probably when the lake shrinks back to a pond. Have patience, grasshopper.
And please keep any dogs well away from the gator's habitat.

[Henryk]

I have seen a lot of dead and squish snakes on the road after Irma , flooded out I guess.

Funny you should mention that... Yesterday I drove from 466A to Nancy Lopez. There was a surprising amount of road kill on the way, some of which would have stopped Granny Clampett. I wonder what's up with that.

[villagetinker]

We were out on an air-boat ride over the weekend, the guide explained that almost all of the birds had moved out of the area since the water was too high for their normal food source, and they would be back once the water receded. As for the alligator, do a search on this site, or online for the fish and game(?), there is a phone number to call for nuisance alligators.

[circletrack]

So due to flooding caused by Irma, our neighborhood pond became a lake. And with the lake came a gator about 5-6 feet long. Before Irma,we had plenty of ducks, egrets, and cormorants at our pond and even a heron or two. Now, zip, zilch, nada ( and they say animals are dumb). So, how do we get rid of this pest? Do we take up a neighborhood collection to hire a trapper? ( is that legal?) Does the State or County handle this? All serious solutions are welcome but please don't answer that "It's just nature". Overpopulation of gators is not "nature", it's a failure of conservation management.

One alligator in a pond in Florida is considered overpopulation?

[njbchbum]

So due to flooding caused by Irma, our neighborhood pond became a lake. And with the lake came a gator about 5-6 feet long. Before Irma,we had plenty of ducks, egrets, and cormorants at our pond and even a heron or two. Now, zip, zilch, nada ( and they say animals are dumb). So, how do we get rid of this pest? Do we take up a neighborhood collection to hire a trapper? ( is that legal?) Does the State or County handle this? All serious solutions are welcome but please don't answer that "It's just nature". Overpopulation of gators is not "nature", it's a failure of conservation management.

One gator in a new area = pest? overpopulation? Not understanding that.

[bluedivergirl]

I live on Evans Prairie, and we've always had a number of birds, including Herons. Since the hurricane, we've had even more.

The Egrets moved into our shallower areas in great numbers. We have many more Ibis with their poke, poke, poke bills.

We've also had more alligators, of all sizes. They come and go. We had a BIG boy for about three days - at least eight feet. He's gone now.

Nature is an ebb and flow. Your birds may be here at my house. Unless he's getting in your lanai, let him go.

[OpusX1]

Remember if you call a trapper it is a death sentence for the gator. They do not trap and release.

[rubicon]

An alligator in a pond, who would have? thunk it

[Bogie Shooter]

We were out on an air-boat ride over the weekend, the guide explained that almost all of the birds had moved out of the area since the water was too high for their normal food source, and they would be back once the water receded. As for the alligator, do a search on this site, or online for the fish and game(?), there is a phone number to call for nuisance alligators.

One alligator in a pond in Florida is considered overpopulation?[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=OpusX1;1467962]Remember if you call a trapper it is a death sentence for the gator. They do not trap and release.

I don't understand how the gator in question can be considered a nuisance.
I say let it be!

[Aloha1]

OK, OK :rolleyes: The pond is almost back to normal
(never has been dry) and the gator is still in my backyard. I wondered about lack of a food source causing it to move on. And, yes, one gator IS a problem in the "wild". It's a danger to small pets and children (grandkids). Up north, we have an overpopulation of deer. They have become a severe nuisance from chewing up yards and plants and causing serious traffic accidents. Townships are now authorizing hunting within the area to thin out the overpopulation. I look at gators as the same kind of nuisance with a big exception: To gators, WE are the food source.

[BoatRatKat]

The alligator nuisance people won't come out for a 5-6 ft alligator. They'll only come out if it's at least over 8 ft and even then they'd prefer to try to let it be unless it's actually caused a problem. I'm sure you could find a trapper to hire but that's likely to cost quite a bit. As far as your grandchildren and pets...they shouldn't be allowed anywhere near any lakes in FL as any of them could, and likely do, have gators and poisonous snakes in them.

[Bogie Shooter]

The alligator nuisance people won't come out for a 5-6 ft alligator. They'll only come out if it's at least over 8 ft and even then they'd prefer to try to let it be unless it's actually caused a problem. I'm sure you could find a trapper to hire but that's likely to cost quite a bit. As far as your grandchildren and pets...they shouldn't be allowed anywhere near any lakes in FL as any of them could, and likely do, have gators and poisonous snakes in them.

I agree.

[autumnspring]

It is just nature....conservation management is humans attempt to change that. Not saying that it's wrong, only that we can find any excuse to change what we find offensife.....we should call it for what it is. Controlled extermination.

RE: human attempt to change that
There is very little in THE VILLAGES that is natural. You/we pay PREMIUM PRICES for lake front property. In most cases those lakes are not natural THEY ARE DRAINAGE DITCHES.

It is interesting, to me, that Mount Rushmore the presidential sculpture that millions visit is viewed by the Indians as an abomination-a destruction of nature.

ANSWERS? I have none. I must honestly admit that an alligator in YOUR backyard is interesting. If, it were in my back yard, it would be a problem that must be dealt with IMMEDIATELY.

[autumnspring]

The alligator nuisance people won't come out for a 5-6 ft alligator. They'll only come out if it's at least over 8 ft and even then they'd prefer to try to let it be unless it's actually caused a problem. I'm sure you could find a trapper to hire but that's likely to cost quite a bit. As far as your grandchildren and pets...they shouldn't be allowed anywhere near any lakes in FL as any of them could, and likely do, have gators and poisonous snakes in them.

An alligator is an eating machine. It has a brain a little bit larger than a pea and all it thinks ie eat eat eat. The more food it gets the faster and larger it will grow.

It is truly shocking how fast they are in the water and they can run quite fast for short distance on land.

Five to six foot vs eight foot. Teasing but, I'm not planning on measuring one UNLESS IT IS DEAD. As a kid one of my friends had a,"PET" alligator that was about one foot long.
It bit him. I haven't seen my friend in years but assuming he is still alive, you will know it is him by the scars on his index finger.

[pqrstar]

Generally, alligators may be considered a nuisance when they are at least four feet in length and pose a threat to people or their pets or property.

Alligators less than four feet in length are usually not considered a nuisance.

Call the Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 1-866-FWC-GATOR (1-866-392-4286).

Alligator FAQ (http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/managed/alligator/faqs/)

[BoatRatKat]

Generally, alligators may be considered a nuisance when they are at least four feet in length and pose a threat to people or their pets or property.

Alligators less than four feet in length are usually not considered a nuisance.

Call the Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 1-866-FWC-GATOR (1-866-392-4286).

Alligator FAQ (http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/managed/alligator/faqs/)

They may say that on line but it's a completely different story when you call them...and I have called them. I had one that had to be at least 8 ft. They didn't want to take it out because it hadn't done anything other than look scary. They will not come out for a 4 ft alligator that just happens to live in a pond behind a home. Even if they did, it has to be The Villages who calls them because we're on Village property. They don't relocate, they kill them. They also mentioned that when you take one out it's likely another will just take it's place. It's FL.

[autumnspring]

OK, OK :rolleyes: The pond is almost back to normal
(never has been dry) and the gator is still in my backyard. I wondered about lack of a food source causing it to move on. And, yes, one gator IS a problem in the "wild". It's a danger to small pets and children (grandkids). Up north, we have an overpopulation of deer. They have become a severe nuisance from chewing up yards and plants and causing serious traffic accidents. Townships are now authorizing hunting within the area to thin out the overpopulation. I look at gators as the same kind of nuisance with a big exception: To gators, WE are the food source.

The deer are vegetarian and they feed on soft greens. As people cut down the trees kill off predators such as wolves, coyotes, and plant homes, you get more deer.

We humans find certain animals CUTE. Squirrels good rats bad-both are rodents and can damage your home and spread disease. Deer are in the cute group. Alligators, wolves, coyotes are not.

Nature will fill in any change in the environment and THE VILLAGES for better or worse is a major change.