[Cassie325]

In the last several days I have heard more reports og gator sightings than I ever have before. Yesterday I was told there was a 12-13 foot gator down near 466A off Havana Course...

I also heard there are at least 6 new babies in a pond at Palmer. All of these on top of the ones we have seen at Mallory....Palmer...and the one at the pond on Morse Blvd. near the Morse/466 Gate....

Does this seem normal to everyone...for the last 4 years when we have been coming down to visit we have heard "rumors" but have never sighted any before.....now they are everywhere!

[Ooper]

We have lived here almost 8 years and I don't think there has not been a year in which we have seen gator's somewhere in TV. I think TV let's them get to a certain size and then they have them removed. That 12-13 ft gator might be exagerated a bit... maybe not...

[fraurauch]

It's gator mating season. According to a TV report, they're on the move right now. Looking for love!

[billethkid]

The only change is that brought by people and their spoilage that comes with them.
And then there is the stupidity. At the pond by Arnold Palmer there were two ladies out of their golf carts, climbing over the fence around the pond, cameras in hand.
I hollered and said you will wind up getting bitten....one looked right at me and flipped the bird. These folks are of the same level of lack of intelligence that were climbing the fences to get at the used to be buffalo.
And if bitten, I am just as sure these are the same folks who would be first in line to bring suit aginst the developer for allowing the gators to remain.

Gators are only a problem when people try to feed them or get too close like taking a stupid picture.

Keep in mind we are the invaders!!!!

BTK

[aln]

Originally Posted by billethkid

The only change is that brought by people and their spoilage that comes with them.
And then there is the stupidity. At the pond by Arnold Palmer there were two ladies out of their golf carts, climbing over the fence around the pond, cameras in hand.
I hollered and said you will wind up getting bitten....one looked right at me and flipped the bird. These folks are of the same level of lack of intelligence that were climbing the fences to get at the used to be buffalo.
And if bitten, I am just as sure these are the same folks who would be first in line to bring suit aginst the developer for allowing the gators to remain.

Gators are only a problem when people try to feed them or get too close like taking a stupid picture.

Keep in mind we are the invaders!!!!




BTK

W O W

Yup sounds like the buffalo but trying to get rid of gators would be like trying to get rid of roaches.
Better luck getting rid of STUPID people

[SteveFromNY]

Between the gators and the buffalo - the gators belong here, the buffalo didn't. Imagine a home in Wyoming with a pond full of gators imported from FL. Sounds kind of dumb, doesn't it?

[SteveZ]

The is Florida. Alligators have been here long before tourists and retirees, and are part of the natural environment.

Alligators are also predators controlled by eons of instinct-development, and are not really interested in photo opportunities or curiosity seekers.

Alligators eat things, and are especially fond of under-30 pound pets or other things that size or smaller (like small grandchildren - alligators don't differentiate by species). We supposedly smarter creatures should realize this and take the necessary precautions to avoid them.

Alligators are VERY fast on land for short distances and can climb chain-link fence.

Bottom line, alligators are a natural part of the Florida eco-system, territorial like other species are, and only stay in areas which provide them food. So, if you don't know how to handle yourself around them, LEAVE THEM ALONE. If you think they may be a danger, CALL COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL. Let the Florida professionals who have lived around alligators most of their lives and know what they are doing respond to situations where alligators and humans appear to be getting too close for comfort.

BTW, if you see a lot of waterfowl in a pond, odds are there are no alligators around. However, if you see no waterfowl in a pond, beware.

[SteveFromNY]

Originally Posted by SteveZ

BTW, if you see a lot of waterfowl in a pond, odds are there are no alligators around. However, if you see no waterfowl in a pond, beware.

I thought exactly that, but recently I saw a number of waterfowl hanging around with gators at the pond on Buena Vista by the entrance to Sunset Pointe and the pond just north of Bridgeport at Lake Sumter (south of Palmer). Granted, the gator at Sunset Pointe was small (maybe 3 ft), and it was on the little island in the pond sunning itself, so the birds would have ample opportunity to flee if it moved, but in the pond by Palmer there were 2 little gators, one on the island and one swimming (you could only see it's snout moving in the water), and there were plenty of birds hanging around the edges. I thought the birds would give gators a very wide berth, but they seemed to be more daring than I'd have expected. It kind of surprised me.

[MMC24]

Originally Posted by SteveFromNY

Between the gators and the buffalo - the gators belong here, the buffalo didn't. Imagine a home in Wyoming with a pond full of gators imported from FL. Sounds kind of dumb, doesn't it?

Amen, Brother!!!!

[BobKat1]

Originally Posted by billethkid

The only change is that brought by people and their spoilage that comes with them.
And then there is the stupidity. At the pond by Arnold Palmer there were two ladies out of their golf carts, climbing over the fence around the pond, cameras in hand.I hollered and said you will wind up getting bitten....one looked right at me and flipped the bird. These folks are of the same level of lack of intelligence that were climbing the fences to get at the used to be buffalo.
And if bitten, I am just as sure these are the same folks who would be first in line to bring suit aginst the developer for allowing the gators to remain.

Gators are only a problem when people try to feed them or get too close like taking a stupid picture.

Keep in mind we are the invaders!!!!

BTK

That's just silly/crazy! That's why cameras have zoom lenses!

[MelZ]

Nothing surprises me about people and wild animals. Too much Bambi and Yogi Bear I think.

Once saw a man kick a sleeping Buffalo in Yellowstone to get a better picture.

[The Great Fumar]

Originally Posted by Cassie325

In the last several days I have heard more reports og gator sightings than I ever have before. Yesterday I was told there was a 12-13 foot gator down near 466A off Havana Course...

I also heard there are at least 6 new babies in a pond at Palmer. All of these on top of the ones we have seen at Mallory....Palmer...and the one at the pond on Morse Blvd. near the Morse/466 Gate....

Does this seem normal to everyone...for the last 4 years when we have been coming down to visit we have heard "rumors" but have never sighted any before.....now they are everywhere!

OK OK NOW I KNOW I'M GULLIBLE , BUT A 13 FOOT GATOR ,,COMONNN

NEXT YOU'LL TELL ME HE ONLY LIKES TITLEIST GOLF BALLS......OF COURSE THATS WHY I ONLY USE PODO'S (from Walgreens , 3 for $1.39 )

fumar

[rshoffer]

Originally Posted by billethkid

The only change is that brought by people and their spoilage that comes with them.
And then there is the stupidity. At the pond by Arnold Palmer there were two ladies out of their golf carts, climbing over the fence around the pond, cameras in hand.
I hollered and said you will wind up getting bitten....one looked right at me and flipped the bird. These folks are of the same level of lack of intelligence that were climbing the fences to get at the used to be buffalo.
And if bitten, I am just as sure these are the same folks who would be first in line to bring suit aginst the developer for allowing the gators to remain.

Gators are only a problem when people try to feed them or get too close like taking a stupid picture.

Keep in mind we are the invaders!!!!

BTK

Obviously there is no common sense test required to live in or visit TV. Gators can move close to 40mph for short distances.

[Yoda]

What caliber do you recomend for gators?

[Cassie325]

Originally Posted by The Great Fumar

OK OK NOW I KNOW I'M GULLIBLE , BUT A 13 FOOT GATOR ,,COMONNN

NEXT YOU'LL TELL ME HE ONLY LIKES TITLEIST GOLF BALLS......OF COURSE THATS WHY I ONLY USE PODO'S (from Walgreens , 3 for $1.39 )

fumar

I am telling you...a friend of mine who works for Community Watch told me that the call came into them!!!
She apparently stated that she was out walking her dog near 466A....and there in the middle of the road lie the big Gator.

Now I am not to sure what CW could possibly do with a gator...except make the actual call to animal control...or whomever is in charge of such issues.


Now I know we can all exaggerate...however when I told a few friends what I heard....one of them (happens to be an ambassador) told me that they had heard the same thing from some of the Havana ambassadors....

There is also a story floating around today....the babies over at Palmer were dining on a duck!! The humans saw the legs bobbing up and down and then suddenly it was flipped over....and the head was gone. Poor little duck! They saw several pairs of gator mouths chomping at it!!




Fumar....some of this stuff is just WAY to good to have been made up...well at least by me!