I used to see a lot of alligators around Palm Harbor where I lived from 1996 through 2005. There were often alligators around John Chestnut Park in Palm Harbor which borders Lake Tarpon. That lake had thousands of gators.

The park officials would usually get rid of the bigger gators at John Chestnut. There was about a 12 to 14 footer there for quite some time which tourists would often get way too close to in order to get their picture with it.

Once was visiting John Chestnut Park and saw two men sitting on top of a picnic table. Approached them slowly wondering what was going on from behind them. The picnic table faced a pond near Lake Tarpon. A 10 foot gator or so was waiting just past the picnic table for some kind of hand out. The men told me that the people at the picnic table previously to them must have fed it as he was waiting for me. Those two guys were still on the picnic table when I walked past coming back from my walk around a part of John Chestnut park 45 minutes later.

Have not seen an alligator in the Villages seen we moved here in 2005. Wondering how many gators people have seen here in the Villages? How big was this gator if you saw one?

[SteveFromNY]

I saw 2 in TV. One in the "canal" in LSL near the shuttle stop, and the other on the east side of Morse Blvd just before going over the bridge that goes from LSL to 466. There was time between the sightings, so it's conceivable it was the same gator. But I'm counting it as 2!

Originally Posted by SteveFromNY

I saw 2 in TV. One in the "canal" in LSL near the shuttle stop, and the other on the east side of Morse Blvd just before going over the bridge that goes from LSL to 466. There was time between the sightings, so it's conceivable it was the same gator. But I'm counting it as 2!

Sounds good to me. Supposedly, there is an alligator-- a 6 footer-- in the ponds near the Ashland Neighborhood Recreational Facility but I have not seen it. Have not be looking for it all that hard. I heard of an alligator near a pond on the Cherry Hill Golf Course. This is another 6 footer. Could be the same one though?

[SteveFromNY]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac

Sounds good to me. Supposedly, there is an alligator-- a 6 footer-- in the ponds near the Ashland Neighborhood Recreational Facility but I have not seen it. Have not be looking for it all that hard. I heard of an alligator near a pond on the Cherry Hill Golf Course. This is another 6 footer. Could be the same one though?

It could be the same one. Hey, maybe there's only one gator in TV. Maybe in the whole county! Maybe in the whole state? Nah ;D ;D I don't know much about their habits, but I suspect the gator has a mom and dad and maybe some brothers and sisters.

[mejahu]

So how high does a fence/wall have to be before a gator can't get over it? ???

Originally Posted by mejahu

So how high does a fence/wall have to be before a gator can't get over it? ???

Don't alligators burrow in areas with rather wet mud and the like?

That alligator which had two gentlemen on top of a picnic table did not seem to be able to get up as high as a standard park picnic table. See my first post in this string about this story of the alligator and the previous rather stupid picnickers.

[b45]

Anybody seen much in the way of snakes around there, or in their yards?

Originally Posted by b45

Anybody seen much in the way of snakes around there, or in their yards?

I have not seen any snakes here in the Villages, either. Have heard people around who have encountered pygmy rattlesnakes as well as black racers.

[islandgal]

I haven't seen any gators, but I have seen a snake (I think the same one) - twice in my enclosed courtyard and once crossing my driveway in the front. Have no idea what kind it is. but it's about 3 feet long. Fortunately I was inside during all three sightings.

[BethS]

We saw a gator today on the north side of 441 off of Aloha by the bridge, theres not much water in there and we had to look twice but its there, about a 6 footer!!! I thought gators would not live in retention ponds but I guess i am wrong.

[Barefoot]

We were going to buy a house over on San Marino Drive backing on the Preserve, until some of the neighbours told us alligators mate in the Preserve water area every Spring. That means there is definitely more than one gator folks! They see them and hear them mating (can only imagine what that sounds like)!! > Apparently the gators "won't bother you unless you bother them"; but "be careful when they're mating, they tend to be irritable". Needless to say we didn't buy that house!!

We wanted to back on a Preserve, but with two dogs, ... no way!!! Now we back on a golf course, but we made sure there is no water anywhere near.

I researched gators on the 'Net. Apparently they can climb trees and chain link fences ... there were pictures of them doing just that. Snakes don't bother me, but gators give me nightmares. Arrrrrrrg. :edit:

[Lucko]

Last May, a five footer was hanging around the pond between Bridgeport and the Palmer Legends golf course, and many people stopped on the east side of Buena Vista to see it.

[SteveZ]

:joke:In the next few months you may see more gators around - as the campaigns start to move into high gear. Gators are very fond of spoiled meat wrapped in hot air packages ;D

[zcaveman]

A couple of months ago I saw a small gator in the pond at Hawkes Bay at hole #3. Today we saw a gator sunning himself near hole 6 at Saddlebrook. Might be the same gator but he/she looked a little bigger.

[Irish Rover]

I've seen gators at LSL and the lake near Santiago. Fairly big ones.