Gators are on the move
While making her way south on Stringfellow Road, Bokeelia resident, Elizabeth Gindele happened upon an unusual jaywalker earlier this month.
“I had just passed Barrancas Avenue where the Bokeelia Post Office is located and was traveling toward the center when I happened to spot a large alligator sunning himself on the bike path,” said Gindele. “He was rather large and I was surprised to see him just laying there during the mid-morning so I pulled over to take some pictures. Much to my surprise, as I watched, he got up and began to make his way across Stringfellow Road and didn’t seem at all disturbed by all the traffic coming and going in both directions.”
According to officials at Florida Fish and Wildlife, it is not unusual to see alligators this time of year.
“Springtime is mating season and gators tend to move about in search of a mate, so they are often more visible,” said Tony Young, FWC spokesperson. “We just need to be aware that they are there and use common sense around them. It is important to remember that when we are recreating around the water that we need to keep a close eye on small children and especially pets. Dogs splashing a barking will often attract gators and while they are normally not part of the gator’s diet, they are opportunists. and will take advantage of a easy meal.”
Young also said there is safety in numbers.
“When swimming or waterskiing, I advise that people stay in areas where there is boat traffic and other people in the water,” said Young. “Gators usually avoid these areas and prefer places that are more secluded and calm.”
Alligators also display little fear of humans and also can become more dangerous during mating season. While there have been no reported attacks on humans on Pine Island, residents are advised to use caution around gators at all times.
Often referred to as a “living fossil” alligators have roamed the earth for more than 200 million years and are native to Florida. Found primarily in freshwater lakes and ponds, it is not uncommon however to find them meandering in brackish water canals and estuaries.
“While it is rare to see an alligator far from shore, it is not uncommon to find them in brackish water. The alligator needs to be in or near water and in times of drought, when the fresh water areas dry up, the gators will relocated to the nearest brackish water canal or cove,” Young said.
Typically an alligator will live to be 50 years old in the wild and an adult gator can weigh as much as 800 pounds and measure 13 feet in length. These reptiles are reputed to be capable of short spurts of speed and can leap one half of their length from the water. Spring time is nesting time for gators and while they tend to shy away from humans, they can become aggressive while protecting nest sites. The biggest problem however is the desire by some to feed alligators.
“In the state of Florida it is illegal to feed alligators and this practice is particularly dangers because some gators will view humans as a source of food, making them less wary. This can eventually lead to disaster,” said Young. “Also while it is not illegal, fishermen should not discard fish scraps in the water as this, too, will attract hungry gators as well.”
In the wild, alligators will feed on fish, small mammals and birds. In desperate times they may also feed on carrion. Larger gators also have been known to pray on wild hogs, deer and smaller alligators as well.
According to Young, alligators are found in all 67 counties in the state of Florida. As humans encroach on the gators natural environment, calls for nuisance gators become more common.
“Most often the calls we get are about alligators that are four-feet long or more and while we will remove the animal, I think it’s important for people to realize that most of the ones we catch are euthanized. I hope knowing this that people will think twice before calling and assess whether or not the gator truly is a nuisance,” Young said.
To report a nuisance alligator, call toll free to 1-866-FWC-GATO(R) (392-4286).