Alligators in the Southeast?

[Kurtis Diffenbaugh]

I hope this is the correct spot for this thread.

While it's probably going to be a while until I make it to Florida I was wondering how all of you in the SE (Southeast) handle the possible presence of alligators when tramping through the wild areas or everglades? Are there obvious areas you know you don't have to worry? For instance I've seen photos where photographers appears to be waist deep in the swamp and I always wonder if I'm missing something.

Thanks for the help in answering my curiosity.

[Harold Davis]

you are not missing anything. the swamps are full of all kinds of things that you might not want to run into. but i guess some people use the "they are just as scared of you as you are of them" mentality. kurtis, i dont know what you are after, but i think we can at least put you on some birds where you dont have to worry about getting eaten!!

personally, i'm more worried about stepping on a sting ray walking across the lagoon than i am getting eaten by an alligator. that being said, i'll probably get slashed this weekend by the gator!!:o

[Kurtis Diffenbaugh]

Haha, I hope that doesn't happen. Maybe I watch too much NatGeo but my impression is that alligators are like crocs and basically see anything in the water or near the water as potential prey. I guess what I'm getting at is whether or not my impressions of them being extremely dangerous is correct and if they see anything smaller than a manatee as prey. (Obviously many predators or animals can inflict damage but I'm talking about something that purposely hunts and stalks a human.)

I've seen bears in the wild and I scuba dive off the coast of California and I know there is the possibility of encountering large sharks but the shark population isn't especially dense (contrary from my impression of the alligator population), so this really doesn't cause me to worry. Also, many of the shark attacks seem like a case of mistaken identity.

So are alligators like most of the other predators in North America and tend to avoid human contact or are you guys just that serious with your photography?

(When I finally visit I will definitely take you up on some places to visit where I won't be eaten! ;-) )

[Judd Patterson]

Alligators that are very used to people (urban gators, golf course gators, etc.) and especially those who are used to being fed (near docks, etc.) can be extremely dangerous and seem to kill one or more people each year. However, the average gator that you meet in a wild area is skittish and will leave when you get close. Over the last few years of wading around I've had a couple act suspicious and seem to approach me. Usually this seems to be more curiosity than real pursuit, but I usually give these gators some extra working room. I'm actually much more worried about tangling with a 15 foot python! Alligators are super predators, so they deserved a lot of respect, but they really don't have the disposition to frequently pursue people. Just be careful out there, always keep your eyes open, and you'll be fine.

[Linda Martino]

My last visit to the Everglades I was appalled when I saw parents telling their children to touch the gator so they could take a photo. I mentioned it to a ranger. The ranger said in the winter when most people visit the Everglades, gators are less active as its colder and they have plenty to eat (maybe they eat once a week?) so they are less apt to do anything dangerous. Anyone caught feeding them will be in deep dodo. The rangers take it seriously because fed alligators become more dangerous. The biggest concern in the Everglades are mothers with babies. Mother gators can actually have babies from more than one season and are quite protective. The rangers try and monitor visitors who get close to that situation to make sure nothing happens. But I still worry when photographing in the Everglades as its easy for me to be focused on photographing something and be unaware that gators are nearby. But as someone else has said the most dangerous are gators in urban areas where folk have fed them. Each year it seems some person is gotten by a gator in an urban area. Bottom line is I would not wade in water in gator habitat and if I am in their vicinity I try and be more alert.

[Kurtis Diffenbaugh]

Judd, thank you, that exactly what I was wondering about.

Linda, thank you also for the feedback. It seems crazy (and stupid) that people would feed the gators.

If anyone has any more feedback I would love to hear it. Thank you

[Mike Tracy]

Mosquitoes kill and harm more people then gators do.

[Chris Sloan]

Years ago I was told by the park staff at Myakka River State Park, which has lots and lots of gators and lots and lots of wading fisherman, that they have never had a gator attack anyone...during the daytime. Gators are primarily nocturnal, and the park is closed at night for that reason, but they said if you go out in that water at night, you're basically asking for it. In the daytime, they said there is nothing to worry about despite the massive gator population (including some very large ones).

[Connie Mier]

I hope this is the correct spot for this thread.

While it's probably going to be a while until I make it to Florida I was wondering how all of you in the SE (Southeast) handle the possible presence of alligators when tramping through the wild areas or everglades? Are there obvious areas you know you don't have to worry? For instance I've seen photos where photographers appears to be waist deep in the swamp and I always wonder if I'm missing something.

Thanks for the help in answering my curiosity.

Kurtis, you live in California. How do you handle the mountain lions?
I spend a lot of time wandering through the Everglades and frankly, I have more to fear in Miami than I do out there in the wilderness. Only once have I had a bit of scare with a gator. I was pointing my lens straight at a gator that was resting in the mud. I was in my canoe and seconds later, the gator got in the water and headed straight toward my boat. Have never seen that before and this was in a very remote area of the glades. But as Judd mentioned, it is usually associated with human habituation and it will be in locations where lots of people gather (backcountry campsites, boardwalks, etc). Since I spend most of my time in a canoe, my greatest fear is the evil manatee that will tip my boat over! :)

[Kurtis Diffenbaugh]

Chris and Connie thank you.


Kurtis, you live in California. How do you handle the mountain lions?


The same way you guys handle your Florida panther, which is you rarely see them. ;) I've spent a lot of times outdoors and have maybe once encountered a mountain lion. I say maybe because I didn't see anything but just heard an extremely loud repetitive growl in the bushes by me, it was far louder than I can imagine a bobcat making. I think there are also a lot of false claims of mountain lion sightings. I know some people that swear they've seen mountain lions but it's usually been from a car while driving at night or the mountain lion wandering past a ranch house in the middle of the night.

As far as relating them to alligators I perceive them (mt. lions) being a bit more selective in food choices most of the time. That's part of the reason I originally asked this question as I was unsure if my perception of alligators was correct. What also got me wondering was that I met some Northern Aussies and they asked me how Floridians handled alligators and I had no idea. They told me that they were extremely wary about being any place that might have salt water crocodiles by them and were wondering if it was the same in FL.

[Mike Godwin]

There's a big difference between a salt water croc and an alligator, the saltie is a man-eater. When that animal looks at a person, he's looking at a food source... many people are killed in Australia and New Guinea each year by these largest of the crocodiles. There's a well known story from WWII about a Japanese force that was trapped in a swamp in New Guinea, and was decimated by salt water cocodiles. The screams of the men could be heard throughout the night...

The Alligator is not a man-eater, although occasional attacks do occur. Alligators are animals of opportunity, and have no problems eating dead animals. There are unanswered questions as to whether some victims died due to the alligator, or had drowned before the alligator found them. I like to compare alligators to dogs, if your walking down the street and you come across a pit bull unchained in someones yard, what should you do?

The best answer is to remain calm and move away from that area. There is no need to panic, nor is there any need to put yourself at risk and enter that "yard". Most times, if you leave them alone, they'll return the favor. Keep in mind that alligators are territorial animals during breeding season, and females can be very protective of their nesting sites. Just remember to be aware of your surroundings, and you'll be fine.

One thing I should mention is that we have between 1 - 2 million alligators in Florida, yet alligator "attacks" are a fairly rare occurrence, and most can be put down to human negligence. Trust me, you have more to fear from fellow humans in Florida than you do alligators!

[Kurtis Diffenbaugh]

Trust me, you have more to fear from fellow humans in Florida than you do alligators!

Thank you Mike, I appreciate it.

From what you and other people have said (and what I've heard about people in Florida ;)) I'm realizing I should spend all of my time in the swamps instead of the cities. :)

[Myer Bornstein]

In February when my son and I were photographing at shark valley one of the gators twice went into the water and caught a large fish, then brought them up on the bank and ate them this gator was more active then the rest of the gators and parents were trying to get pictures of their children with the gator. When told that this gator has been very active and feeding the parents gave the story that the gators only eat at night and only once a week and they should not fear them Ha Ha :D

[Harold Davis]

hey myer, that's some words to live by there. now, where's the ROLLS EYES smilie at? some people just have to learn the hard way!!:)

[Myer Bornstein]

Here is the gator that the parents wanted take a picture of their kids with :eek:

[Kurtis Diffenbaugh]

Myer, it looks quite charming. I think you are worrying too much. ;)

[Don Lacy]

Alligators that are very used to people (urban gators, golf course gators, etc.) and especially those who are used to being fed (near docks, etc.) can be extremely dangerous and seem to kill one or more people each yea
In the last 40 years their have been 23 fatal Alligator attacks in the US or about 1 every two years http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_alligator_attacks_in_the_United_Stat es_by_decade
For a comparison in one 13 year span their were 756 fatalities from lighting strikes for an average of 58 a year so you are much more likely to be hit and killed by lighting then eaten by an Alligator and on a side note Florida has more lighting strikes then any other state.
http://www.lightningsafety.com/nlsi_lls/fatalities_us.html

[Mark Fuge]

While I have not treaded the Everglades swamp ... yet! I like others fear many other critters more than gators. That is not to say they are pets. But my experience when I have photographed them, from a distance of my longest lens, is that they are more doctile than their reputation. That said however, I do know of one super gator on the BioLab Road, near Merritt Island NWR that I would not approach on the same side of the ditch. I saw him go after another gator one day and there is no way that anyone would have come away from him. Big as he is, he flew through the water to evict the trespassor, after being awaken on the bank and seeing it.

My personal advise about Florida backcountry is go with a pro or don't go. Pithons, poison snakes and many ohter critters are out there with mean attitudes. Don't put your life in their hands, without having someone who really knows the backcountry advise you, take and stand beside you while shooting. It's one thing to shoot in your backyard, it's quite another to go into the jungle and try to get images of the wildlife in their domain. There are enough safe distance locations to shoot wild gators. The backcountry of the Everglades is not one for a novice.

Come on down, but come down safe.

[Larry Frogge]

After spending a great part of the 12 years that I've lived here in Florida on the water or in the swamps, I am far more concerned with the Cottonmouth Moccasin then any other creature out there. However, like any wild animal, I have a healthy respect of any gator and use caution and common sense when around them. Even I wake up grouchy sometimes (you add your own joke here)!!!
Larry <><

[Don Hamilton Jr.]

Brother Larry, nice to see you over here on the forums! Hey, yeap me too, water Mocasssins are scary dudes! They mean business, and can put you in a a world of hurt and danger! Steer Clear for sure!
Don

[Kurtis Diffenbaugh]

Thank you everyone for the feedback, this has been very informative for me.