An alligator hisses in a field at Kennedy Space Center. Photo credit: NASA
7. Why is it illegal to feed alligators?
9. Are alligators ecologically valuable?
Alligators are reptiles and work on instinct, not intelligence. When they are fed by a person, they lose their natural fear of humans and start to associate people with food. They may eventually become aggressive, and there is no way to “unteach” this behavior. When this happens and it is reported to wildlife officials, the alligator is labeled a “nuisance animal,” and it is trapped and killed.
Yes. They are important top predators that help keep populations of smaller animals under control. They also create habitat for other wildlife in the marsh by digging holes that hold water during the dry season. Because alligators are top predators, they can live more than 60 years, and bioaccumulate environmental contaminants. Alligators are used as an indicator species to monitor environmental health.
8. What should I do if I see an alligator near my home or job site?
10. What are the present-day challenges to alligators?
If the alligator does not approach people and is minding its own business, just leave it alone and enjoy the experience from a safe distance. If an alligator approaches you or it poses a threat to people, on KSC call 321-861-5050 (Duty Office) or off KSC call 866-392-4286 (866-FWC-GATOR).
As the human population expands, alligators become increasingly crowded into freshwater habitats, including golf course lakes, roadside ditches and retention ponds. Conflicts with humans become more frequent, and the alligators are exposed to decreased water quality. Also, alligators (and many other reptiles) have temperature-dependent sex determination. This means that the sex of the hatchlings is determined by the incubation temperature of the eggs. Warmer temperatures associated with climate change could potentially have a dramatic impact on sex ratios and, ultimately, alligator populations.
A baby alligator instinctively moves toward nearby freshwater. Photo credit: NASA/Amber Watson
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