What is in the Gator's mouth
 

12 foot alligator on pond bank off of Pinellas before Buena Vista with something huge and white in its mouth. Anyone know what it was?

If the gator is really 12'-call animal control--its extremely dangerous

Why would a 12' be anymore dangerous that a 6'.
If the gator is not doing anything to effect humans, why call in the executioner?

Why is he dangerous??? He didn't get that big around here by being dangerous-trust me he hasn't bothered anyone so let him be!!!

Probably a bird

Who would you rather be hit by Sally Field or the Rock ? Which one gives you a better opportunity to escape further harm?

I saw him and I think it was Fred. Is Fred missing? Anyone heard from him?

Alligator
 

It's a very, very large turtle (24-30 inches across). He has had it since about 7AM. We've watched him all day from the time he caught it and he's still there with it in his mouth. Occasionally he "throws" it up in the air and "catches" it. Is that usual to take all day to eat such a large catch. The gator is quite large also...12+ feet.

Probably can't crack the shell.

Again, people, the gators were here long before we were. They're not dangerous unless people go stupid and start messing around with them. Leave the gators alone and don't go whining to FWC every time you see a gator and think it is dangerous. The odds of getting attacked by an alligator is 1 in 24,000,000; the odds of getting bit by a poisonous snake is 1 in 37,500; I can't recall the last time I saw a post regarding poisonous snakes.

Are you serious? A six foot gator can give you a nasty bite. A twelve foot gator can take off your leg and kill you.

While it's true, gators are not usually aggressive, they are sometimes unpredictable and attack humans for no apparent reason. Generally when they get to be more than 8 feet on golf courses they are removed.

No reptile hysteria please. No need to worry. They generally like to eat things they can handle, not humans, plus they say we smell bad to them?

What is in the Gator's mouth?
 

I have witnessed them eating large turtles whole. But white?

Generally? Says who?

Yes!

Kill them all, they don't add anything to the Villages.

Exactly. Only when they lose their fear of humans is mainly caused by the humans doing something stupid despite all the warnings. Actually applies to interacting with any animal wild or domesticated.

OMG! I was just telling my husband that I saw a huge gator in the pond across from Bonifay this morning...the same pond you are talking about. Then I looked on TOTV and here was the post. That gator was huge and looked very dark in color. I didn't see anything in his mouth as I was driving and couldn't get a good look. 🐊🐊🐊🐊

Move 'em out.
 

Although the ambiance of The Villages may seem bucolic, the fact is that this is a densely populated area. I doubt that any of those who assert that it's fine that alligators wander the area of The Villages would have a similar attitude if the alligator was meandering through a suburb of Cleveland, Newark, or wherever they left to relocate to Florida.

Although it is against Florida law, many people feed alligators and enjoy having them around. This leads to having them lose their fear of humans. When you encounter an alligator there is no way for you to know if that particular alligator has lost his fear and may be aggressive.

Prudence suggests that all contact with alligators be avoided, and most certainly the larger the alligator, the greater its capability for doing great injury. Even a small alligator will be happy to attack and kill your pets, even in your presence.

The fact is that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission considers alligators of four feet and smaller to be relatively benign, and rarely considers them to be a nuisance, a twelve foot long alligator did not grow that large in the immediate area without ever being spotted, but migrated here from outside the area, probably in search of a food supply.

If he is hungry, he doesn't need to be around humans.

:eek:

Actually the odds of being bitten by a poisonous snake is zero, absolutely zero.

I have no problem with a gator being taken care of if in fact he or she has truly become a problem and done something to cause us harm. On the other hand to just kill him for his size or what he might do is just simply wrong! To those of you thinking or shouting kill him - shame on you, maybe we should have you incarcerated because you have killing on your mind and you might do something. Think about it, how stupid would that be?

Anybody remember the gator removed and terminated because he ate the duck? I believe it was in the pond behind Hacienda? Animal control was called in since it ate other wildlife displaying loss of fear of humans? Anyway I suspect the duck had it coming!

Saw Fred yesterday--or it might be Fred Jr.

It's call nature, I would much rather the gator eat a duck than to take a bite out of my leg. Yes, the gators around here have probably lost their fear of humans but that doesn't mean they are going to attack you unless provoked.

Why is that? I know of many people in NC that have been bitten by copperheads. Last I knew, the copperhead is a poisonous snake.They are indigenous to the area and again, will leave you alone unless provoked. Most people who get bit step on them accidentally or think they can move them by themselves and aren't aware of what they are messing with.

Snakes are here. A few years ago a golfer in the foursome just in front of ours was bitten by a pigmy rattler and spent an uncomfortable night in Leesburg hospital. Reaching your hand into the weeds for a golf ball isn't the smartest thing to do. Just leave the Gators alone just like you would a sleeping dog.

Or a dog.

When we lived in Melbourne, FL our cat had to be put down after it was bitten by a poisonous snake.

Anyone remember that 'gator nabbing and drowning a two-yr old toddler somewhere in Disney World?

Wish I could be optimistic as you are. Unfortunately one cat of ours had to be put down after it was bitten by a poisonous snake.

At another time we found a coral snake in our coat closet; it was crawling up through one sleeve of the coat. Our gardener kindly removed it for us but, needless to say, thereafter I was afraid of that coat closet.

I do. I also remember the signs warning people to not enter the water. That is one thing you should never do in Florida in any body of inland water. They aren't for swimming in.

It was already stated it was a turtle by someone who had been watching it all day.

Not only people should not be swimming in them; the same goes for dogs wanting to cool themselves.

Tourists and firemen had been feeding them too. NEVER feed a gator

They euthanized it because an idiot from the rc boat club jumped in to save the duck. He then claimed it was aggressive to him. What a moroon as Bugs would say.

Really think so, sport? By the grace of God, a large diamondback just caught my pants leg and not my leg many years ago. There are 7 - 8,000 snakebites in the US every year; in actuality, the chances of someone dying from a snakebite is virtually zero.

:agree:

I would be aggressive to if I thought something else was taking my dinner from me. I'm sorry but what an imbecile.:shrug:

Wildlife management.
 

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.

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.