Posted on 07/15/2016 12:43:07 PM PDT by Rio
Two months before an alligator killed a toddler at Walt Disney World, local firefighters were illegally feeding the predators, according to new evidence obtained by the Orlando Sentinel. Officials warned the employees about the dangerous consequences in a series of newly-released emails.
Firefighters of Reed Creek Emergency Services, which protects the theme parks, reportedly gave food to two gators living less than a mile away from where 2-year-old Lane Graves died. The illegal feedings caused station employees to worry about their safety because it causes the animals to lose their natural fear of humans.
In the first email, Reedy Creek dispatcher Dan Lewis alerted officials about the "mean" gators frequently spotted in the parking lot:
"Could ya'll tell the ops side to stop feeding these alligators, we think we have 2... They are coming out in the parking lot much more than others in the past and WE are the ones who have to walk in that parking lot every day and in the dark. They are not docile gators, they are mean and they are out looking for food because people are feeding them. It's getting uncomfortable"
In response, communications captain Claude Rogers warned Reedy Creek's fire command staff:
It was brought to our attention firefighters are feeding the alligators (this is illegal)... The communicators have found [one alligator] by the station, near the dumpster, and where they park their cars. As you can imagine this is making the communicators nervous because they are fearful of walking to their car and their leg becoming dinner. We have notified Animal Control to remove the alligator. In the interim could you ask your crews to stop feeding the gator."
Rogers then sent a second email to Reedy Creek communications employees:
"Several people have expressed concern of becoming alligator food because the alligator is seen out of the pond near the building, by the dumpster, and near the cars... The firefighters feeding the alligator only aggravates the situation... Animal Control has been notified and I have spoken to B/C Brown requesting they tell the firefighters to stop feeding the alligator. He has already spoken to members of his crew and has passed this on to the other shifts.
While he's unsure whether the alligators were ever removed, Reedy Creek District Administrator John Classe doubts the larger animal, estimated at four to five feet, was the responsible for the attack. The gator that killed Lane measured somewhere between four and seven feet long.
Why do people feed animals?
Someone else paid the price, so where’s the problem?
This is illegal for a reason. Alligators don’t have enough brains to distinguish the feeder from the food. Disney is going to pay for this.
I think it is very irresponsible to even have gators in a vacation resort, especially without warning signs EVERYWHERE if they can’t be fenced out.
I thought feedin gators was agin the law.
well, there you go!
starve the nice little critters and they gonna havta go hunting for grub...
Keep away from Disney theme parks! They are there to entertain the LGBT animals.
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