With summer nearly underway, millions of Americans are planning dream vacations to Walt Disney World, where officials continue to strengthen safety measures by removing hundreds of alligators from the resort area.
The effort intensified after a child was killed by an alligator at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in Orlando, Florida, a tragedy that occurred 10 years ago. Since then, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has removed more than 400 gators from the property.
WDW News Today, which covers Disney park developments, reported that 414 alligators have been taken from the resort over the decade following the attack.
Under FWC policy, trappers are authorized to remove alligators measuring more than 4 feet in length if they are considered a threat to people, pets, or property.
State wildlife officials say smaller alligators are generally not large enough to pose a serious danger to people or pets unless they are approached or handled. Doing so is strongly discouraged, as bites can cause severe injuries or infections and handling the animals is also against the law.
Captured alligators are not typically relocated, because they often attempt to make their way back to the place where they were originally caught.
In addition to removing a plethora of gators, officials at Disney have also constructed barriers and other precautions to keep alligators from getting too close to guests.
Some safety features include fencing, boulder walls and warning signs on the property near the water.
The remote areas to which they would be relocated already host healthy alligator populations and established social structures.
Introducing new alligators would disrupt the order and lead to fighting between the resident gators and the newcomers.
Thankfully, Florida has a healthy, stable population of these creatures, totaling about 1.3 million across all 67 counties.
The removal of these nuisance alligators does not have a significant impact on the species whatsoever.
Thankfully, officials with the FWC continue to work closely with Disney to ensure the safest conditions and prevent an avoidable tragedy.
