Homeowner Education
Alligators
GatorsThe Department of Natural Resources no longer is involved in alligators except to issue permits to HOAs. There is no “move” or “relocate”. They simply authorize the HOA to have them destroyed. your HOA would then hire a licensed company who does that as quietly as possible…
We have an informative article on our website that we ask owners to read, as well as this FAQ.
Alligators are only a hazard to people and pets when they lost their natural fear of humans after being fed by humans – often by workmen and kids. Alligators LOVE marshmallows, food wrappers and lunch scraps...
As one recent example, we had a report from a concerned owner who reported an aggressive animal to us seen through binoculars sunning on the pond bank. Clearly this animal was not up in her yard at the time nor exhibiting aggressive behavior. some ponds in some communities are owned by the City or under management of an adjacent golf course. We have been told time and again that alligators are valued by the golf course as it scares geese off the course and the green.
The licensed “trapper” that the Association uses will approach the animal to determine from much experience whether it exhibits signs of having been fed or otherwise accustomed to humans and represents an unusual danger. There are perhaps thousands in the area and they do move around, primarily over ground, though there is a frequent (and incorrect) assumption that they move through storm culverts. On the contrary, they do not often enter them because they cannot turn around nor move well backwards.
We have seen that shortly after removal, another animal will move into a vacant pond. They were here for millions of years before people and most locals have a certain sentiment for them… When owners call with similar encounters or concerns we ask that they carefully consider whether this animal was really stalking a pet (or whatever the concern) and represents an unusual threat for being acclimated to humans as a source of food, or was just “walking around” or sunning before they call for its head. If you feel that a particular animal is a threat worthy of destruction, please let us know and we’ll elevate the request for removal to the golf course management/ownership or Association Board and we will move quickly.
* At this moment we are unware if your community has any alligators, but it is always better to prepared just in case*
Thank you,
Aaron Hettesheimer
