Crocodile relocation sparks spirited debate in Miami-Dade neighborhood, residents say
On Monday, authorities hauled one of the scaly reptiles away after it got a bit too close to nearby homes.
During the early morning hours, one of the two crocodiles, a female, wandered toward a resident's doorstep. It was the second time in recent weeks that one of the creatures came close to a home. Neighbors reported that a man, pedaling his bicycle on a darkened sidewalk, rode over the animal's tail.
Local authorities were summoned and a trapper with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission drove over to collect her.
The crocodile's legs were zip-tied, and its mouth sealed with what appeared to be duct tape. The trapper tagged the croc, and took a blood specimen from near the animal's snout. With the help of several Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office deputies — and the resident whose yard the crocodile invaded — the trapper loaded the croc in the flatbed of a pick-up truck as other residents watched nearby.
The wildlife agent told the Miami Herald that his agency had seen no evidence of nesting activity by the pair, and the captured crocodile would be relocated away from people.
In recent months, the two crocodiles — both of whom neighbors had taken to calling Charlie — strayed from their man-made lake home, where they often sunbathed, to the front lawns of some neighboring homes.
The animals have caused controversy between residents who consider them a threat to pets and children and those who believe the animals should be left alone as they are protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act.
On the NextDoor app, one neighbor said that gates on the canals and waterways that link to the Oleta River, and ultimately Biscayne Bay, do little to prevent the creatures from moving into residential neighborhoods.
As some argued over how to handle the problem of 'ambush predators,' others contended humans need to do more for reptiles just trying to find a place to live.
'Poor Charlie,' wrote one resident. 'He probably was just terrified getting his tail run over.' In a more serious vein, she added: 'Please be aware of your surroundings...We are so lucky to be able to have all types of wildlife living amongst us.'
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