Latest news with #StatewideNuisanceAlligatorProgram
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Can I shoot a gator? How to get an alligator off of your property in Florida
If you've lived in Florida for long enough, you likely know that coexisting with alligators is a part of life in the Sunshine State. As long as you keep your distance and never feed one if it crosses your path, you should be fine. But there are some risks to be aware of, especially if you're planning on swimming in a lake or owning a home in the state (even if the closest body of water is a retention pond). And it's officially mating season for the tens of thousands of gators that live throughout Florida, which means a higher likelihood that our reptilian neighbors turn up in unwanted places, like yards, pools and golf courses. Alligator mating season in Florida lasts from April through June. To be exact, April is alligator "courtship" season and May is when most Alligators start mating, according to the FWC. "Courtship begins in early April, and mating occurs in May or June. Females build a mound nest of soil, vegetation, or debris and deposit an average of 32 to 46 eggs in late June or early July," The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) website says. During mating season, male gators become more combative and have a much wider range of travel than is typical throughout the rest of the year. During these months, they can roam over 1,000 acres of land and tend to become more aggressive. Dominant males typically kick out the weaker male gators during mating season, which is one of the reasons Floridians see more gators in their yards, retention ponds and pools during the summer months. If you have a gator in your yard or pool, don't freak out. These dinosaurs can be found in every Florida county and you can usually call FWC to remove them. Here's what you should do if there's a gator in your yard and what to do if you have to run or swim away from one. Removing a gator from your yard isn't the same as calling a private critter control service or your community's animal control. You have to call the state's fish and wildlife conservation commission. The FWC has a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program with a gator hotline. If there is a gator in your yard or pool, call the free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286). The Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) will issue a permit to one of its contracted nuisance alligator trappers, authorizing the removal of the gator. The state pays its contracted nuisance alligator trappers for each job they are called out to. Calling SNAP's toll-free number and having a trapper come to your home won't cost you anything. An alligator is deemed a nuisance if it: Is at least four feet long. If the caller believes it poses a threat to people, pets or property. If it is smaller than four feet and winds up in places that are not acceptable, like swimming pools or garages, and must be removed. "You should never handle an alligator, even a small one, because alligator bites can result in serious infection and it's illegal. If there's an alligator under four feet in your swimming pool, on your porch or in a similar situation, call the Nuisance Alligator Hotline," the FWC's website says. The best way to keep roaming alligators from cooling off in your pool this summer is to get an enclosure for the area around your pool. If you think a chain link fence around your backyard is good enough, think again. Alligators can climb fences. If you already have a screened-in pool deck, check for any holes or weak points that might need to be repaired before the summer. Making sure you properly maintain your pool enclosure can also help keep snakes, iguana and bugs away from your pool deck this summer. Though Florida residents have learned to coexist with alligators, the potential for conflict always exists, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The wildlife commission recommends people avoid feeding alligators and to keep your distance if you see one. "Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours. And keep pets on a leash and away from the water," FWC's site states. If you're already swimming and see an alligator while you're in the water, calmly swim in the other direction and get out of the water. Don't splash around, this will attract the alligator. According to the FWC, "If an alligator bites you, the best thing to do is fight back, providing as much noise and resistance as possible. Hitting or kicking the alligator or poking it in its eyes may cause it to release its grip. When alligators seize prey they cannot easily overpower, they will often let go and retreat." You can also trigger a gator's gag reflex by shoving objects into the back of its mouth, if you have to. If it gags and tries to reposition its grip on you, that's your window to escape. Serious injuries caused by alligators are rare here, but if you are concerned about a gator, call the nuisance alligator hot line at 866-392-4286 or visit Most native Floridians learn as early as preschool to run away in a zig-zag line if a gator crosses their path, but this has been debunked. Gators can run fast on land, but only for short distances before they get tired. Simply run away in a straight line. If you find yourself tempted to take a night swim in a lake, river, pond or any natural body of freshwater, the possibility of running into an alligator is rarely zero. If the sun is down, the gators are out. Don't try to "take care" of any gators yourself. If you don't have a permit to hunt gators, you can't shoot one. Under Florida law, it's a third-degree felony to "intentionally kill, injure, possess or capture, or attempt to kill, injure, possess or capture an alligator or other crocodilian, or the eggs of an alligator or other crocodilian, unless authorized by rules of the commission." The Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program trappers relocate gators under 4 feet long and kill nuisance gators that are longer than 4 feet. "Relocated alligators often try to return to their capture site," according to the SNAP website. "They can create problems for people or other alligators along the way. If an alligator successfully returns, capturing it again would be necessary and likely more difficult the second time." This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Alligators in Florida: What to do if you see a gator on your yard, porch
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Alligator attack that killed woman canoeing on Lake Kissimmee was ‘defensive incident,' Florida wildlife official says
ORLANDO, Fla. — The woman killed by an alligator on a Central Florida lake Tuesday was attacked after her canoe passed over it in shallow water, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced Wednesday. The attack occurred near the mouth of Tiger Creek on Lake Kissimmee, just east of Osceola County, where the woman and her husband were canoeing in 2 feet of water when investigators believe they startled the alligator by drifting over it. The alligator then thrashed and tipped over the canoe. The woman, who sat at the bow, fell on top of the reptile and was bitten as her husband tried to intervene but failed, FWC Maj. Evan Laskowski told reporters. FWC identified the woman as 61-year-old Cynthia Diekema of Davenport. Polk County Sheriff's Office deputies and marine units assisted in the search and an agency helicopter found her body in the water. Two alligators were captured, including an 11-footer that FWC said matched the description of the one who attacked the woman. The investigation of the incident is ongoing. 'This was not believed to be a predatory incident, but just simply a defensive incident where they came upon the alligator beneath the water's edge and when the canoe struck it, it caused a reaction,' FWC Officer Bradley Johnson said. Serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida, with just five deadly gator attacks between 2014 and November 2024, the last month for which FWC data is available. None took place in 2024, which saw 11 gator attacks statewide. That's more than half the attacks reported in 2023, which saw 23 with one deadly, according to agency figures. FWC administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program to remove those believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property. Tuesday's attack was the second in that area within two months — a woman was bitten March 3 while kayaking there. Lake Kissimmee has the second-highest gator population of any lake in the state, The Ledger reported using FWC data. FWC Executive Director Roger Young said alligators are especially active now during mating season. 'During this time, when alligators are active, we strongly encourage the public to keep their distance from alligators,' Young said. _____
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Alligator attack that killed woman canoeing on Lake Kissimmee was ‘defensive incident,' FWC says
The woman killed by an alligator on a Central Florida lake Tuesday was attacked after her canoe passed over it in shallow water, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced Wednesday. The attack occurred near the mouth of Tiger Creek on Lake Kissimmee, just east of Osceola County, where the woman and her husband were canoeing in two feet of water when investigators believe they startled the alligator by drifting over it. The alligator then thrashed and tipped over the canoe. The woman, who sat at the bow, fell on top of the reptile and was bitten as her husband tried to intervene but failed, FWC Maj. Evan Laskowski told reporters. FWC identified the woman as 61-year-old Cynthia Diekema of Davenport. Polk County Sheriff's Office deputies and marine units assisted in the search and an agency helicopter found her body in the water. Two alligators were captured, including an 11-footer FWC said matched the description of the one who attacked the woman. The investigation of the incident is ongoing. 'This was not believed to be a predatory incident, but just simply a defensive incident where they came upon the alligator beneath the water's edge and when the canoe struck it, it caused a reaction,' FWC Officer Bradley Johnson said. Serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida, with just five deadly gator attacks between 2014 and November 2024, the last month for which FWC data is available. None took place in 2024, which saw 11 gator attacks statewide. That's more than half the attacks reported in 2023, which saw 23 with one deadly, according to agency figures. FWC administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program to remove those believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property. Tuesday's attack was the second in that area within two months — a woman was bitten March 3 while kayaking there. Lake Kissimmee has the second-highest gator population of any lake in the state, The Ledger reported using FWC data. FWC Executive Director Roger Young said alligators are especially active now during mating season. 'During this time, when alligators are active, we strongly encourage the public to keep their distance from alligators,' Young said.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Alligator attacks, kills woman at Lake Kissimmee State Park, officials say
The Brief A woman was attacked and killed by an alligator Tuesday afternoon at Lake Kissimmee State Park, according to officials. The Polk County Sheriff's Office said its agency and others responded to assist FWC. The victim's identity and details about the alligator remain unknown. ORLANDO, Fla. - A woman was attacked and killed by an alligator on Tuesday afternoon on Lake Kissimmee, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Attack comes 2 months after another alligator encounter in same area What we know An alligator attacked and killed a woman Tuesday afternoon at Lake Kissimmee State Park, prompting a multi-agency emergency response. The Polk County Sheriff's Office said it received a call at 4:05 p.m. requesting assistance from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission about an incident near the mouth of Tiger Creek into Lake Kissimmee. Deputies, a Marine Unit and a helicopter were dispatched to the scene, along with support from the Osceola County Sheriff's Office. According to initial reports, two people were kayaking or canoeing on the lake when a woman came across an alligator and went into the water. She was later found deceased. The alligator attack comes two months after a kayaker was attacked by an alligator on a canal between Tiger Lake and Kissimmee Lake. What they're saying The incident remains under investigation, but preliminary information indicates that a woman was taken underwater by the alligator. "The woman was later recovered from the water and is declared deceased," a statement from the FWC read. "At this time, the incident remains under investigation and no additional details are available." Serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida, the FWC said. "The FWC places the highest priority on public safety and administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP). SNAP uses contracted nuisance alligator trappers throughout the state to remove alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property." What we don't know Authorities have not provided information about the woman's identity. A contracted nuisance alligator trapper was dispatched to the area. It's unclear whether the alligator was captured. Officials have not said whether the area has been temporarily closed or if public access to the lake has been restricted in the wake of the incident. The backstory Lake Kissimmee State Park is a popular recreation area located off State Road 60, about 15 miles east of Lake Wales. The park is known for its rich biodiversity, and that includes large populations of alligators. Visitors often kayak or canoe through waterways such as the Zipper Canal and Lake Rosalie, launching from designated areas including the cow camp bridge and the marina. The Kissimmee Chain of Lakes Area (KCOLA) spans 21,000 acres across Polk and Osceola counties and forms part of the headwaters of the Kissimmee-Okeechobee-Everglades watershed—a vital ecological corridor for the state. Despite the beauty and recreational appeal of the region, it is home to native wildlife, including potentially dangerous predators. Alligator encounters are not uncommon in Central Florida's freshwater systems, particularly during warmer months when the reptiles are more active. What you can do The FWC works to keep Floridians and visitors informed and recommends the following precautionary measures near alligators, including in or near the water, to reduce the chances of conflicts with alligators Keep a safe distance if you see an alligator. If someone is concerned about an alligator, they should call FWC's toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), and we will dispatch a contracted nuisance alligator trapper to resolve the situation. Keep pets on a leash and away from the water's edge. Pets often resemble alligators' natural prey. Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and without your pet. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn. Never feed an alligator. It's illegal and dangerous. When fed, alligators can lose their natural wariness and instead learn to associate people with the availability of food. This can lead to an alligator becoming a nuisance and needing to be removed from the wild. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: The Source This story was written based on information shared by the Polk County Sheriff's Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Winnipeg Free Press
07-05-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Woman attacked and killed by alligator on a central Florida lake
LAKE WALES, Fla. (AP) — An alligator attacked and killed a woman on a central Florida lake Tuesday afternoon, authorities said. The attack occurred near the mouth of Tiger Creek into Lake Kissimmee, south of Orlando, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a news release. A woman was canoeing when she encountered an alligator and went into the water, wildlife officials said. The woman was later recovered from the water and declared dead. Polk County Sheriff's Office deputies and marine units assisted with the search. The woman had been with another person at the time of the attack, sheriff's officials said. Investigators didn't release any details about the attack or the alligator. A contracted nuisance alligator trapper has been dispatched to the area. Serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida, officials said. FWC administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program to remove alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property.
