Western Lake (Grayton) -- Alligator caught!

[Smiling JOe]

From the Walton Sun:

SEE YA LATER, ALLIGATOR: Pictured is an eight-foot alligator nicknamed “Mr. Andy” by Mary Katherine Rookis – after Hibiscus’ famous Mr. Andy. The Western Lake gator was captured June 4 near the Lake Place neighborhood. The trapper, with the help of Ryan Rookis put “Mr. Andy” in a truck to be transported to a different location. (Ricky Rookis/Community Journalist)
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Somewhere in my bank of photos, I have a couple of pics of what I think is this particular gator, taken about a year ago, when he was free to roam.

 

[Hop]

wow...anyone for a swim?

 

[Smiling JOe]

FYI -- that one was the medium sized one. I think the X-Large one is still reported to be running around. SNAP!

 

[Matt J]

I thought they didn't trap them unless they were a nuisance, or was this one a nuisance?

 

[Camellia]

Unfortunately, because some folks have been feeding the alligators on the shores of the lake in Grayton, several of the alligators are now domesticated and approaching people standing on the shoreline. A dometicated gator is a nuisance. Feeding alligators is a crime in the state of Florida, and it would be nice if the warning signs, available on the nuisance alligator website, were posted along the lake to discourage people from turning this into a fun activity to do with the kids.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Personally, I'd rather see the people who are feeding the gators prone and hog-tied with their mouths taped closed. They are the true nuisance.

From what I understand from several home owners on the Lake, this particular gator has been very aggressive and supposedly he killed the two smaller gators. Of course it is mating season and they get very territorial, and the small two didn't seem to be scared of anything. They would swim right up to you, looking for food.

 

[scooterbug44]

Since it was a fun activity for both the construction workers and tourists/visitors to "feed the gators" off the Watercolor pier I am not at all shocked that a wild animal had to be relocated because it lost its fear of humans.

So sad, but glad he got relocated instead of kilt!

 

[Camellia]

Relocated is a euphemism. Feeding alligators and rendering them fearless of humans is tantamount to giving them a death sentence. Those gators are fancy belts and alligator on a stick at a state fair now.

 

[Matt J]

Thanks for the info. Does anybody know why it's illegal to feed gators in Florida?

Years ago there weren't the signs and fences protecting the gators from the public (yes I typed that correctly). Alligators are ancient small minded creatures left over from the dinosaur age. They don't understand things that mammals do like no, stop, or done. If they are being fed and they are still hungry it is an instictual nature that drives them and it can't be over ridden by training.

It used to be common for people to throw scraps to the alligators and many people just fed them since it was fascinating. The one that changed the law was a little old lady in Wakulla county who went down once a week to St. Marks and fed the alligators. She took her little poodle with her since it enjoyed the outdoors. One day she was feeding the alligators and one decided it wasn't done. It came out of the water and chased the woman, the poodle being her companion attempted to protect her. I'll spare you the details, but needless to say the poodle lost. The elderly lady sued the state of Florida for lack of signage that this would happen. Thus the signs that I have seen my entire life warning not to feed the gators. In areas that had a lot of gators fences were erected to prevent, even the stupid, from being attacked or eaten. Unfortunately I have never seen one of these signs on a coastal dune lake despite the presence of alligators.

Remember they can run short distances at 35-40 mph. During mating season they are extremely territorial. If a gator is hissing you are too close and need to leave immediately, although it is usually too late at that point. ;-)

 

[Miss Kitty]

I can honestly say that in all my almost 54 years on earth that I have never entertained the idea of feeding an alligator.