Latest news with #MorganHart
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
SCDNR launches ‘GatorWise' project
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources wants you to stay 'GatorWise' this summer. The agency announced Monday the release of its alligator information project, called GatorWise, which aims to promote guidance on how to act when coming into contact with an alligator. The main goal is to minimize conflict between humans and alligators. Biologists say the program is important because it will offer a central place for states in the southeast to reference information about alligator safety, especially as human development grows in alligator habitats. 'The introduction of GatorWise is important because information about how humans should behave around alligators is similar across the southeast, but until now, each state has had to manage their own outreach sites and information,' said Morgan Hart, SCDNR Alligator Biologist. 'We hope that being able to reference a central place for information will help people and alligators coexist safely'. SCDNR said alligators are a robust species that can thrive in areas where development occurs, as long as the people in these areas understand how to responsibly coexist with them. With the weather warning, the agency said it's important for people to remember that it is normal to see alligators moving around and basking in rivers, ponds and lakes. You can learn more by visiting Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
12-05-2025
- General
- New York Times
Face to Face With an Alligator? Here's What to Do
The death on May 6 of a Florida woman who was attacked by an 11-foot alligator that tipped over her canoe served as a reminder that, while alligator attacks on humans are 'extremely rare,' as a state wildlife official said, they do happen, sometimes with fatal results. 'This serves as a somber reminder of the powerful wildlife that share our natural spaces,' said Roger Young, the executive director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Florida had an average of eight unprovoked alligator bites a year over the 10-year period that ended in 2022, according to the commission. Many of them were serious enough to require medical attention. The commission has been urging people to exercise caution in or near the water during alligator mating season, which runs from early April to June. The risk of an attack is higher, it said, because alligators tend to be more aggressive, active and visible during this time. The agency and other wildlife commissions offered these tips for avoiding or staying safe around the reptiles, which can grow up to 15 feet long. Where are they? Alligators can be found from central Texas eastward to North Carolina, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Louisiana and Florida have the largest populations — more than one million each. Georgia has 200,000 to 250,000 alligators and South Carolina is home to about 100,000. Morgan Hart, the alligator project leader for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, believes alligator attacks have increased in the state over the years because of 'the sheer growth in human population in the coastal plain of South Carolina.' When new housing developments are built, artificial lakes are often created with them and then quickly inhabited by alligators. Be alligator aware. If you encounter an alligator on land, 'you can simply back away from it,' Ms. Hart said. 'Alligators will also hiss if they feel someone is too close and they can't get away,' she said. People should be wary of any alligator that approaches, she said, as it may be a sign that it has been fed and associates humans with food. Humans should also keep at least 30 feet from alligators at all times, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. 'They rarely chase people, but they can outrun or outswim the fastest person for the first 30 feet,' the agency said, noting that alligators can sprint up to 35 miles per hour for short distances on land. Watch your children and dogs closely. Alligators prefer to pursue prey they can easily overpower. 'Pets often resemble alligators' natural prey,' said Lauren Claerbout, a spokeswoman for the Florida wildlife commission. People should keep their pets on a leash and under control, and not allow them to swim or exercise in canals, ponds or lakes that may have alligators. 'The sound of dogs barking and playing may draw an alligator to the area,' the Florida wildlife commission said. Be careful where you swim. Wildlife agencies suggest that people swim only in designated areas during daylight hours, and without a pet. 'Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn,' Ms. Claerbout said. If you encounter an alligator in the water, remain calm and do not approach it, according to the Florida wildlife commission. Don't feed them. It is illegal, and dangerous, to feed alligators in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Texas (except during that state's hunting season). The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said that people should not throw fish scraps into the water or feed other wildlife in areas where alligators congregate. 'As long as people don't feed them,' said Donald Houser, the general manager at Gator Park, which is just south of Miami and features shows with alligators. He added that an alligator loses its fear of humans after three days of a person feeding it. 'Just stay away from it, basically,' he said. How to fight back. You should fight back against an alligator only if it gets hold of you, officials said. 'In that case, aim for its eyes, nose or throat, which are its most sensitive areas,' according to Everglades National Park in South Florida, adding that people should 'hit, kick, or jab with as much strength as you can muster to try and force the gator to release its grip.' Still, if you are grasped in an alligator's jaws, there is a slim chance that you would be able to escape, Mr. Houser said. 'You better have someone close that knows what they are doing,' he said. 'Alligators don't eat people,' he said, but they may bite someone and then spit the person out. By then, it may have held the person under water too long, he said, 'and it may be too late.'
