Florida teen loses arm in alligator attack yesterday.

[graciegirl]

Alligator attack: Florida teenager loses part of arm - U.S. News (http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/10/12656157-alligator-attack-florida-teenager-loses-part-of-arm?lite)

This supports the thread started by Ilovetv a week or so ago about the visiting grandchildren who were not being watched and leaning over the railing at LSL.

[2BNTV]

How sad for the teenager. I hope he adjusts well from this traumatic experience.

[justjim]

About 8 or 9 years ago just east of Leesburg on US 441 where the highway passes over the Dead River Canal, a young boy was eaten by an Alligator. He was visiting his grandparents. I can't imagine anything more horrible or tragic. To say they are dangerous is an understatement.

[Taltarzac725]

Southeastern Outdoors - Fatal Alligator Attacks (http://www.southeasternoutdoors.com/wildlife/reptiles/fatal-alligator-attacks.html)

Not sure how they could keep people safe on the Lake Sumter Landing boardwalk without just getting rid of the alligators. They move around from wetlands to lakes and back too.

[BritParrothead]

Poor lad. But we must Never forget, the alligators were here first.

[Bogie Shooter]

Southeastern Outdoors - Fatal Alligator Attacks (http://www.southeasternoutdoors.com/wildlife/reptiles/fatal-alligator-attacks.html)

Not sure how they could keep people safe on the Lake Sumter Landing boardwalk without just getting rid of the alligators. They move around from wetlands to lakes and back too.

You are safe on the boardwalk. Same old story kids do stupid things, if stupid parents don't watch their children then things happen. Like falling over the rail................

[ilovetv]

I started the other thread because the kids told me, when I told them to be careful not to lean over the ropes or reach down toward the water, that they didn't have to worry about the gators because some "adult" had told them "it's just a MECHANICAL alligator". Taltarzac verified seeing this stupid "adult" saying this to them.

Some "adults" here pooh-poohed the warning. Disgraceful.

[Taltarzac725]

I started the other thread because the kids told me, when I told them to be careful not to lean over the ropes or reach down toward the water, that they didn't have to worry about the gators because some "adult" had told them "it's just a MECHANICAL alligator". Taltarzac verified seeing this stupid "adult" saying this to them.

Some "adults" here pooh-poohed the warning. Disgraceful.

That's true. And I was with some teenage girls who were busy taking a lot of pictures from near the railing with their $200-$500 cell phones. There were some much smaller kids there also who could easily have fallen through the railing whether their parents were watching them or not.

It seems a lot of tourists in FL think the native life is something they would see in Disneyworld and is quite safe to be around.

[CaptJohn]

They were swimming in a river. The article also says he'll be the first back into the water and these were kids familiar with gators.

[Taltarzac725]

They were swimming in a river. The article also says he'll be the first back into the water and these were kids familiar with gators.

It is probably a rare gator who attacks humans. Still have to watch out though.

I was more worried about the little dogs on twenty foot retracting leashes that some people had at the boardwalk on LSL. With that number of people trying to get a look at the gator in the water a small pooch might be bumped into the water. A lot of the strollers did not seem to be paying that much attention to other walkers nor paying too much attention to the gator below.

[asianthree]

so sad

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Of course we must exercise judgement when in areas where there are gators, but some people become a bit paranoid about them as well. There have been 18 fatal alligator attacks in the past 40 years in Florida and eleven of them involved people swimming, wading or snorkeling in the water with gators close by. I don;t think that there is any danger on the LSL boardwalk. Gators are not going to jump the ten feet or so up from the water. Yes, I would discourage kids from dangling their arms, but other then that, I believe that it's perfectly safe.
This poor kid was swimming in an area close to Lake Okeechobee where there are thousands of gators. Most gator have been removed from residential areas like the Villages. Occasionally, very occasionally a gator gets in to a residential area, but those instances are rare. Just use a little common sense and stay away from areas where they are known to hang out.

[firewalkerb3]

Just a reminder, a alligator can come straight up out of the water to within one foot of it's tail. Alligator are not pets and cannot be made into one. Alligators sleep and eat, nothing more. I have been involved in a few alligator attacks, 2 were fatal. One of the two was in the water, the other was setting on a bench, on a water walk way when she was pulled off by a alligator. They are eating machines, and as the alligator gets bigger. So does what's on the food chain, never trust one or drop your guard when around alligators. And we all know not to ever feed one. God Bless

[firewalkerb3]

You are so right.

[Barefoot]

Most gator have been removed from residential areas like the Villages. Occasionally, very occasionally a gator gets in to a residential area, but those instances are rare. Just use a little common sense and stay away from areas where they are known to hang out.

Most gators have been removed from The Villages? I don't agree. I think they only remove them if they get large and troublesome. Otherwise the retention ponds are havens for gators and they migrate through the irrigation pipes. We even had a gator briefly visit our "puddle" in back of our house, and then he moved on.

[duffysmom]

Most gators have been removed from The Villages? I don't agree. I think they only remove them if they get large and troublesome. Otherwise the retention ponds are havens for gators and they migrate through the irrigation pipes. We even had a gator briefly visit our "puddle" in back of our house, and then he moved on.

You are so right Barefoot, there are gators everywhere in TV. There have been pictures posted on these boards of gators roaming around villages and I remember one particular gator was at someone's front door.:faint: When it comes to wildlife it's an amazing place to live and no need to be fearful, just take Firewalker's advice (he's a gator trapper) and give the gator his space.
I'm more fearful of the drivers in TV than I am of the wildlife.

[firewalkerb3]

Bearfoot
The only alligators that require removing have become a nuisance. To become a nuisance gator it has to have created a problem, by treating the safety of domestic animals or people. We all have a reasonably explanation of safety. One thing I can insure any resident of the Villages, no alligator or any wildlife is removed without insurance that the need to remove it is warranted. Every effort to relocate the offender is also made. If anyone noticed a shortage of alligators around the landing or any area, this is a result of the weather we been having. The big ones move mostly late at night when it a little coolerThe smaller one's 4 or 5 foot will move in the day when the big one or not out, this keeps them off the menu. Also a lot of the females are nesting, and want travel far from her nest. Exercising good judgement is the best thing we can do to avoid a less then favorable encounter with any wildlife.

God Bless

[duffysmom]

Bearfoot
The only alligators that require removing have become a nuisance. To become a nuisance gator it has to have created a problem, by treating the safety of domestic animals or people. We all have a reasonably explanation of safety. One thing I can insure any resident of the Villages, no alligator or any wildlife is removed without insurance that the need to remove it is warranted. Every effort to relocate the offender is also made. If anyone noticed a shortage of alligators around the landing or any area, this is a result of the weather we been having. The big ones move mostly late at night when it a little coolerThe smaller one's 4 or 5 foot will move in the day when the big one or not out, this keeps them off the menu. Also a lot of the females are nesting, and want travel far from her nest. Exercising good judgement is the best thing we can do to avoid a less then favorable encounter with any wildlife.

God Bless

:BigApplause: You the man!!!!

[Barefoot]

Bearfoot
The only alligators that require removing have become a nuisance. To become a nuisance gator it has to have created a problem, by treating the safety of domestic animals or people. We all have a reasonably explanation of safety. One thing I can insure any resident of the Villages, no alligator or any wildlife is removed without insurance that the need to remove it is warranted. Every effort to relocate the offender is also made. If anyone noticed a shortage of alligators around the landing or any area, this is a result of the weather we been having. The big ones move mostly late at night when it a little coolerThe smaller one's 4 or 5 foot will move in the day when the big one or not out, this keeps them off the menu. Also a lot of the females are nesting, and want travel far from her nest. Exercising good judgement is the best thing we can do to avoid a less then favorable encounter with any wildlife. God Bless

You know what Firewalker? This is a great post. Full of good information.

[graciegirl]

Bearfoot
The only alligators that require removing have become a nuisance. To become a nuisance gator it has to have created a problem, by treating the safety of domestic animals or people. We all have a reasonably explanation of safety. One thing I can insure any resident of the Villages, no alligator or any wildlife is removed without insurance that the need to remove it is warranted. Every effort to relocate the offender is also made. If anyone noticed a shortage of alligators around the landing or any area, this is a result of the weather we been having. The big ones move mostly late at night when it a little coolerThe smaller one's 4 or 5 foot will move in the day when the big one or not out, this keeps them off the menu. Also a lot of the females are nesting, and want travel far from her nest. Exercising good judgement is the best thing we can do to avoid a less then favorable encounter with any wildlife.

God Bless

I really appreciate you telling us these things. Thank you so much.

[Barefoot]

Bearfoot
The big ones move mostly late at night when it a little cooler. The smaller one's 4 or 5 foot will move in the day when the big one or not out, this keeps them off the menu.

Just one question .. do large gators eat smaller ones?

[mulligan]

Probably low on a list of menu choices, but if they're hungry enough........ Also, for those that have a casual attitude about gators being present, i believe you may assume if there's a body of water, there's probably a gator in it. This is not just an inventory builder for those in the used golf ball business, but a safe assumption for those of us that can no longer run @ 45mph.

[Barefoot]

For those that have a casual attitude about gators being present, i believe you may assume if there's a body of water, there's probably a gator in it.

Our house backs on two small and shallow retention ponds. Before we purchased the house, we asked some of the neighbours who had lived in the area for six years: "Have you ever seen a gator here". They all said: "No, it's impossible, the ponds are too small".

Last May, guess what, :22yikes: a small gator was sunning himself in the grass beside one of the puddles. We have a picture. He didn't stay around long, I assume he was travelling through the irrigation pipes.

We have invisible fencing for our dogs in our back yard. And the ponds are away from the house, down in a ravine. Still, we always supervise our dogs when they are outside. If you back on water, please don't let your kitties or pooches out unsupervised.

[duffysmom]

Just one question .. do large gators eat smaller ones?

A gator is an opportunistic eater (it takes one to know one:)) and will eat ANYTHING.

[firewalkerb3]

Barefoot, to answer your question about large gator eating small one. The answer is yes, not uncommon to see alligators missing part of it's tail or foot.

[BritParrothead]

We just rented a house in Bonita, bakking on to 2 small lakes, we saw regularly a 6 ft gator on the far side of the lake and also a seconf on in the lake, bathing. They never bothered each other or the birds that were all around them.
Got some great snaps :icon_wink:

[firewalkerb3]

You will see alligators share a pond, as noted one at one at one end, and one at the other. Both are close to the same size. You won't see one cross into the others side, only they know we're the line in the water located. The larger the pond, the more gators it can support without internal incident. One of two things will happen over time with any gators, and the gators will lose on both. Feeding the gators, = gators fear of humans diminishes to a point that the gators becomes a threat. Human's moving around and area were alligators inhabit , but avoid interaction. Gator after not being treated by humans in it area fear of humans diminishes. Both require the gators relocation or destroying. We all prefer relocating the gators, but can't take the chance when dealing with one that has already showed aggression. Stay Safe, God Bless

[mulligan]

Try the gator nuggets at Gator's Dockside @ Spanish Springs. May change your thinking about relocation.

[mulligan]

I had one, and let it expire.