If an alligator is longer than four feet and exhibits aggressive behavior, they’re classified as a nuisance and are harvested for their meat and hide by permitted nuisance trappers. Alligators that are larger than six feet present the greatest hazard to humans and pets. Smaller gators, four feet or less in length, pose little threat to people; but they can deliver a nasty bite that should be seen by a physician. The bacteria in an alligator’s mouth cause bite wounds to become infected easily.

According to government estimates, there are more than 1.5 million adult alligators and 16 million people in Florida. As a result, people and alligators come in contact on a daily basis, usually with no harmful effects to either species. That’s because Florida alligators are generally timid and avoid humans whenever possible. But how do you know when one of these alligators has lost its fear of people and is being aggressive? Alligators are attracted to noises made by lawn mowers, weed eaters, airboat engines, or splashing at the waters edge. However, once the presence of a human is detected, most alligators will not approach any closer, remaining motionless as a defense. When humans come too close for comfort, gators usually retreat quickly. If they don’t retreat when a person approaches close by, they may have lost their natural fear of people and could become a problem.

"Emergency complaints, describing aggressive alligators that threaten children at play, or alligators that pose an immediate threat to public safety, will be given top priority. Regardless, all complaints, emergency in nature or not, will be evaluated and if necessary, a nuisance trapper will be sent to harvest the gator," said Gary Morse, Public Information Director for the FWC’s Southwest Region.

Unfortunately, some people intentionally embellish an animal’s size and behavior when reporting a nuisance alligator. These false reports compromise the effectiveness of the nuisance alligator program by creating a backlog for FWC trappers.

"In order for the system to work properly, complainants need to give an honest appraisal of an animal’s size and behavior, so that real threats, rather than perceived ones, can receive priority attention," said Morse.

For the next several months, the FWC’s Lakeland regional office will receive, on average, 75 to 100 nuisance alligator complaints a day, or about 5,000 complaints a year. In the last decade, encroaching human development into areas occupied by wildlife has added to the conflict between man and alligator, causing the number of calls to the FWC to skyrocket.

In 2001, the FWC’s Lakeland regional office, which services an 11-county area from Hudson to Ft. Myers, received 5,188 nuisance alligator complaints. There were 2,106 alligators harvested by permitted nuisance trappers in the Southwest Region last year. Statewide, in 2001, there were 16,749 complaints taken, resulting in the harvested of 7,279 alligators.

Since the nuisance alligator program began 23 years ago, the FWC has received 240,411 complaints resulting in 100,365 alligators being harvested statewide by permitted trappers.

In the 50 plus years that the FWC has been managing alligators, studies and experience show that individual nuisance reptiles tend to become chronic problems, causing more than their share of trouble.

"Moving a problem alligator to another area is usually not an option. It’s risky business and can create more problems than it solves. Once a gator has lost its fear of people, it doesn’t matter where you put it, it is still not afraid of people and it continues to pose a threat," said Morse.

Furthermore, biologists also say that most places have as many alligators as the natural habitat can support. Moving an adult alligator from one established population into another only insures there will be trouble when it has to out-compete, displace or kill another of its own kind to survive. Additionally, moving animals always brings with it the risk of transplanting disease.

Although most people have a natural respect for alligators, some residents and visitors don’t realize that alligators can be a serious threat. They think there is no harm in throwing an occasional sandwich to the large reptiles; but the practice of feeding gators is dangerous, unlawful and contributes to attacks on humans. Feeding an alligator will cause it to loose its fear of people and become a problem, ultimately leading to its destruction by FWC trappers.

Since 1948, there have been about 300 alligator attacks documented by the FWC, many as a result of people who tried to capture or handle an alligator. Only twelve attacks on humans have been fatal.

Despite the alligator’s reputation, alligators can and do peacefully coexist with people. All it takes is a little understanding of the alligator’s needs and habits to insure a healthy coexistence.

Here are a few tips that will help you live with alligators:

DON’T feed or entice alligators. Inform others that feeding alligators is against state law. Alligators generally loose their natural fear of people when they associate food with people. By feeding alligators, people create problems for themselves and others.

DON’T feed other wildlife near the water, throw fish scraps into the water or leave them along the shoreline. Although you are not intentionally feeding alligators, the alligator doesn’t understand that. Dispose of fish scraps or other potential alligator foodstuffs properly.

DON’T let pets swim or run along the shoreline of waters known to contain large alligators. Alligators are attracted to dogs probably because they are about the same size as an alligator’s natural prey.

DON’T swim or allow pets to swim in areas with emergent vegetation (plants growing up out of the water). Alligators favor this type of habitat. Swim in designated areas only.

DON’T swim, walk dogs or small children, at night or at dusk, along the shoreline of waters that are known to contain large alligators. Large alligators feed most actively during the evening hours. Note that it is illegal to water-ski after dark in Florida.

DON’T try to remove alligators from their natural habitat or try to keep one as a pet. It is strictly against the law to do so. Alligators do not become tame in captivity and handling even small ones may result in bites. Instead, enjoy watching and photographing alligators from a distance.

It is against the law to feed, harass, molest, and attempt to move or kill alligators. Violators should be reported by calling the FWC’s 24-hour, toll-free Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922). Callers may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward.