[Normal]

Originally Posted by Kenswing

Still waiting for you to prove that alligators are a problem. Just post your findings on how many people have been killed or injured by an alligator IN The Villages over the past 10 years.

I see you would still rather rant than actually answer a question. You still haven’t told us what you’re doing to get a plan in place. You haven’t told us how you plan to pay for it. Is that outside your boundaries of talking about alligators too?

Again…. Decide whether or not you are willing to co-exist with alligators. They’ll be here long after you’re gone.

On that note I’m done here. Your obsession is overriding logic.

Alligators are a zero problem here in the Villages. When they get too big someone will remove them. They are very beneficial to the ecosystem. That barn door has already shut. The responsibility doesn’t rest on the sellers or developers, but on the citizens, CDDs and local animal control. We have seen The Villages step in on occasion to help though and all is appreciated. There a few large gators in Lake Sumpter and Okahumpa, that said, they aren’t causing problems and don’t really need removed. The saddest removal was one in Brownwood. He was a little over 13 foot and weighed in over a third of a ton? All because of some whining busy body.

There seem to be too many pronouns being slung around “them” “The Villages”(like they still are responsible, some still believe that I guess) all of which can take care of nothing.

Solve your own problems if you don’t like them. Don’t live near a pond or along one of the large preserves of wilderness land.

“Larry the Gator” Finds a New Home at Gatorland

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by Maker

Wrong again... Polio no longer affects millions of people BECAUSE of removing the threat BEFORE it can infect people.

And not removing alligators doesn't change the threat. It's still statistically insignificant...

I await your "Tell that to the lady who died's family" response...

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by Byte1

Not trying to be argumentative....BUT I don't believe that these golf courses were built around the many ponds on them that may or may not contain gators. Much of the Villages was not residential to the gators, unless I am mistaken. I believe the ponds were constructed and then the 'gators arrived. I do realize that we also have lakes that may have contained 'gators previous to Villages being constructed.
I see no reasonable argument for not making the Villages safe from dangerous wildlife, when there is absolutely no threat of causing an extinction of a species. I have no doubt that IF/IF coyotes become a dangerous nuisance, that some action would be taken to alleviate that problem. When mosquitoes became a problem here, they started periodic spraying. If we started having frequent bear incursions that posed threats then they would be removed without a complaint.

How do you think the gators got here, if not via the MASSIVE amount of wetlands surrounding TV? Do you think they stocked the lakes with them? What about the giant snapping turtles in the waters of Sumter Landing?

What about the dangerous snakes? Remove all of them? The bobcats?

Where do you stop?

What you fail to comprehend is that the alligators are NOT a problem, unless someone does something stupid. Just like everything else in life.

Don't drive 100 mph on a rainy night, with your lights off and chances are you won't get hurt.

Don't dive into shallow water and chances are, you won't break your neck.

I know TV is jokingly called "The Bubble". But in reality, one cannot live inside a bubble...

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by fishon

Maybe we should exterminate all of the animals we don’t like.

I’ll start by stating that I don’t like cats.

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by Maker

Fast forward a few years from now. People will say the same thing about alligators as is said about polio... Alligators used to injure and kill people BEFORE they were removed.
Being obtuse is denying humans can make that choice. Then bullying those who have a vision for a safer community.

No one will EVER say that... It's a ridiculous comparison...

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by Maker

Go ahead and do that in your new thread about hogs.
What part of "I don't care to discuss things other than alligators in this thread" is so hard to grasp?

Some folks don't care that you don't care to discuss things other than alligators. We can discuss other things if we choose. Like bees, for instance. Bees kill many more people then alligators. How about including bees in your quest for extermination of dangerous things? Mosquitos are responsible for a lot of deaths and you would think that by now they would be extinct. But they are not, nor will they ever be. How about sharks? Why the irrational fixation on alligators? People slip in the bath/shower and die. Humans created those deadly menaces. Don't you think we would be safer if we just stayed dirty? (Sarcasm. ) If you are really and truly terrified of alligators to the point of being unable to live here and your life is a misery, then you have my sincere sympathy. You definitely need psychiatric help or you will have to move to some place that alligators don't live. Your ranting will not make the alligators disappear. Nor will you change the minds of people who are able to and enjoy sharing the habitat with all animals, including alligators.

[Maker]

Another alligator attack in Florida. It happened in Deltona. An alligator wandered into a homeowner's backyard, through a fence, and attacked his dog. Homeowner was armed and shot the alligator 4 times, killing it.

But we have nothing to worry about. Irrational fears of something that never happens. Everybody needs to be "smarter". And carry a gun "just in case". It's so rare.
Yet, it happened. Again. Twice now in a week.

This could have been a child attacked. When that happens, maybe then people will realize taking action BEFORE another attack happens is the right thing to do here.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

I can't believe that people are still arguing about this. Some people think that alligators are a problem. Most people who live in Florida don't believe that they are.
In any event, nothing it going to get done about them. They are a native creature and necessary to the environment.
Why do some people keep going on about it?

[Rainger99]

Originally Posted by Maker

Another alligator attack in Florida. It happened in Deltona. An alligator wandered into a homeowner's backyard, through a fence, and attacked his dog. Homeowner was armed and shot the alligator 4 times, killing it.

This is the story about the attack - with photos of the alligator.

Florida man shoots alligator as it attacked dog in backyard: '''My heart just dropped'''

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by Maker

Another alligator attack in Florida. It happened in Deltona. An alligator wandered into a homeowner's backyard, through a fence, and attacked his dog. Homeowner was armed and shot the alligator 4 times, killing it.

But we have nothing to worry about. Irrational fears of something that never happens. Everybody needs to be "smarter". And carry a gun "just in case". It's so rare.
Yet, it happened. Again. Twice now in a week.

This could have been a child attacked. When that happens, maybe then people will realize taking action BEFORE another attack happens is the right thing to do here.

If an alligator attacked my wife or child, I, like anyone, would be devastated and angry and vengeful toward that gator. But I wouldn't advocate killing all alligators, any more than I would advocate killing all dogs because the family dog, for no known reason, savagely attacked my wife when she was a baby. (True story).

No one says alligator attacks never happen. What is said is that alligator attacks are far less frequent (rare) than dog attacks. Therefore, your singling out alligators over other animals with higher records of attacks makes no sense. You should start with the largest group of offenders first, don't you think?

[Pairadocs]

Originally Posted by JMintzer

And not removing alligators doesn't change the threat. It's still statistically insignificant...

I await your "Tell that to the lady who died's family" response...

And don't forget to remind those actually terrified of the gators, to watch out for the 16' long, 5 thousand plus weight, SUV's backing out in a plaza parking lot, do NOT walk near or behind them. Common sense. Sometimes I wonder which is greater (and I confess I don't know for sure), the number of people killed annually by being struck with baseballs and softballs, or the number killed by gators ? Or by mountain lions (heard of quite a few hikers and campers who tragically died that way), just being near water, even a bath tub is dangerous, how many people drown annually. Life is kind of dangerous I'd say.

[Pairadocs]

Originally Posted by JMintzer

No one will EVER say that... It's a ridiculous comparison...

Just proves there are those who did not do well on those college and grad school tests of comparisons/relationships. Which of these selections is MOST closely related to a half dozen oranges: 6 apples, 1 lemon, 6 eggs, 2 figs.

[Maker]

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580

Therefore, your singling out alligators over other animals with higher records of attacks makes no sense. You should start with the largest group of offenders first, don't you think?

I disagree. We have the ability to remove alligators from the community. It may be hard, and will take time. But the result will be a safer community for all residents and visitors.

If you, or anyone else, wants to tackle other issues, go for it. Nothing is stopping you. What you do about cars, ducks, dogs, etc, has nothing to do with addressing alligators. Those other issues are 100% independent from what is done about alligators. If you strongly feel cars are a problem, then deal with alligators and cars at the same time since they are completely different jobs, and are not dependent upon each other. So I do not care about those other issues because they do not matter to alligator removal.

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by Maker

I disagree. We have the ability to remove alligators from the community. It may be hard, and will take time. But the result will be a safer community for all residents and visitors.

If you, or anyone else, wants to tackle other issues, go for it. Nothing is stopping you. What you do about cars, ducks, dogs, etc, has nothing to do with addressing alligators. Those other issues are 100% independent from what is done about alligators. If you strongly feel cars are a problem, then deal with alligators and cars at the same time since they are completely different jobs, and are not dependent upon each other. So I do not care about those other issues because they do not matter to alligator removal.

Okay. You only care about removing alligators. Got it. Most folks see that alligators pose a very small threat to the general public as opposed to most things, animal, vegetable or mineral you could name. Curiosity makes me ask, what are you going to do about it? Complain on totv? Get your gun and go hunting gators in the local ponds? Really, what are you going to do? Government officials have more pressing matters to deal with (assumption on my part). Gator eradication for your piece of mind is not on the list. So, it is up to you. What are you going to do? Inquiring minds want to know. Whatever you decide, be careful. It's a jungle, I mean swamp, out there.

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by Maker

Another alligator attack in Florida. It happened in Deltona. An alligator wandered into a homeowner's backyard, through a fence, and attacked his dog. Homeowner was armed and shot the alligator 4 times, killing it.

But we have nothing to worry about. Irrational fears of something that never happens. Everybody needs to be "smarter". And carry a gun "just in case". It's so rare.
Yet, it happened. Again. Twice now in a week.

This could have been a child attacked. When that happens, maybe then people will realize taking action BEFORE another attack happens is the right thing to do here.

You would leave your young child, unattended in the back yard?

Hell a hawk or eagle could have attacked them...

Same with your dog...

I'm sure it took more than 10 minutes for that gator to get past the fence...

Edited to add: Per the article, the gator got into the yard THRU A DAMAGED SECTION OF THE FENCE, THAT WAS DESTROYED IN THE HURRICANE...