Posted on 06/16/2016 10:18:58 AM PDT by C19fan
Florida has a gator problem. The animals live and walk among us, close to us. They live in our lakes and reservoirs and swamps, and we set up our businesses and parks around them, as if nothing will ever happen.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
The number of people killed by either gators or grizzlies each year combined can be counted on one hand, but people take freakish anecdotes and inflate them to sound like they're the greatest danger facing people today.
Alaska would be a less interesting place without its grizzlies and Florida would be a less interesting place without its gators. Those who want to eliminate either because of statistically negligible risk (compared to say, the real safety risk of having inner city neighborhoods nearby) are typically "safety moms" types who want to create a world that's more like a padded cell for their kids.
“most attacks seem to involve drunk people falling into canals after dark.”
Do your homework.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_alligator_attacks_in_the_United_States
I grew up in FL and we all knew to stay away from gators and snakes. Not one person I ever knew got attacked by a gator or bitten by a poisonous snake.
They’ve got a season here in south Louisiana, but I don’t think it qualifies as aggressive. Hell there’s even a reality show about it on TV. That said, most folks here know to stay out of fresh water areas, except dogs and drunks...
Anyone in Florida (resident or tourist) that enters a body of water takes a risk of an encounter with a shark (ocean) or alligator (inland). Heck, they’re on most of the golf courses. Florida is the third most populous state with millions visiting each year. I don’t think this is an epidemic by any means.
The reality is alligator attacks on humans are rare, but they can and do happen. They will always happen, nothing is going to stop this.
As to those blaming the parents, this kid was wading in the water, feet from his parents... for reference this is the beach at the grand floridian.
People wade in this water all the time, wading is not swimming, and I've personally used the catamaran and the motorboats on this man made lake. If you think families are typically thinking twice about going ankle deep in this lake you are nuts.
This wasn't bad parenting, this was a sad random situation.
I pray for the parents and family, and I also pray for the hearts of those who think this was negligent parenting.
Yes, I’ve encountered gators at Disney World, myself. I steered clear of the hotel lake after that. I don’t enjoy pools but Disney hotels have fantastic pools for swimming. I realize they were on this beach to watch a movie.
I don’t golf either - I’d faint if I came across one of them but I guess you get used to them?
I must say it’s very beautiful.
Dawgs in Georgia have a Gator problem.
I’d go for that if they were restricted to using the short clubs truckers use to check tires and I got the rights to sell tickets and videos.
If you thought cage fights are hot ...
"Mind if I play through? Didn't think so."
Disney offered an attraction and failed to secure it from dangerous predators. And it was liberals who made it politically incorrect to have mass alligator hunts in the area.
No one should blame the parents.
Gators move from pond to pond and use roads and land...they especially roam at night. Our Florida community has several lakes and we’re surrounded by wildlife preserves. Chain link barriers wouldn’t necessarily work. would never consider walking around my neighborhood at night.
is analogous to unchecked Muslim growth. The more one ignores it, the more innocent people will die.
I’ve read that if a decent sized alligator wants to get past a standard chain link fence, it’s going to get past it, whether by forcing its way underneath or climbing over. They have to be reinforced with the top slanting outward to have any effect.
Live in NY....deal with Cuomo and Blasio...
Gators are indigenous to FL. Just like rattlesnake, bear, panthers, brown recluse, etc.. These populations need to be harvested and/or controlled.
Prayers for the boy and his family.
5.56mm
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