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Another Florida woman had a more contentious encounter with an alligator earlier this month when she straddled the reptile and pried its jaws open after it grabbed her dog's head in its mouth. Her dog survived.

Florida doorbell camera captures alligator up on hind legs, 'knocking' on door

I think I'll stay in NC.

Florida is mostly swampland (prime Alligator habitat). Rising sea levels and a warming climate are only going to make it worse.

The invasive species like Burmese pythons, cane toads, and feral hogs are going to be an even bigger problem.

There is a reason Florida was largely uninhabited prior to the inventions of air conditioning and anti-malaria drugs.

Now prying open an alligator’s mouth, that’s impressive. Generally it’s easier to keep it closed.

Gators aren’t scary, it’s the land sharks that are.

Soloist wrote: ↑Sat Apr 26, 2025 12:35 pm Now prying open an alligator’s mouth, that’s impressive. Generally it’s easier to keep it closed.

Gators aren’t scary, it’s the land sharks that are.

Gators mostly stay in their space. It looks like someone built a housing development in that guy's space so I can't say it's really the gators fault. They are pretty harmless if you are not a small dog on a leash or a water snake. It's vary rare for them to attack a human sized animal, statistically if you live near them you are far more likely to be killed by a cow.

They look slow on land but for short bursts they can really go. I've seen one bigger than that go over a chain link fence in the blink of an eye.

barnhart wrote: ↑Sat Apr 26, 2025 8:26 pm Gators mostly stay in their space. It looks like someone built a housing development in that guy's space so I can't say it's really the gators fault. They are pretty harmless if you are not a small dog on a leash or a water snake. It's vary rare for them to attack a human sized animal, statistically if you live near them you are far more likely to be killed by a cow.

They look slow on land but for short bursts they can really go. I've seen one bigger than that go over a chain link fence in the blink of an eye.

Says the guy who lives in New York.

Robert wrote: ↑Sun Apr 27, 2025 9:25 am

barnhart wrote: ↑Sat Apr 26, 2025 8:26 pm Gators mostly stay in their space. It looks like someone built a housing development in that guy's space so I can't say it's really the gators fault. They are pretty harmless if you are not a small dog on a leash or a water snake. It's vary rare for them to attack a human sized animal, statistically if you live near them you are far more likely to be killed by a cow.

They look slow on land but for short bursts they can really go. I've seen one bigger than that go over a chain link fence in the blink of an eye.

Says the guy who lives in New York.

He’s just never tried swimming during breeding season. Those females and their eggs… such a treasure to get them, you gotta eat them quick though before you get ate yourself.

Soloist wrote: ↑Sun Apr 27, 2025 9:27 am

Robert wrote: ↑Sun Apr 27, 2025 9:25 am

barnhart wrote: ↑Sat Apr 26, 2025 8:26 pm Gators mostly stay in their space. It looks like someone built a housing development in that guy's space so I can't say it's really the gators fault. They are pretty harmless if you are not a small dog on a leash or a water snake. It's vary rare for them to attack a human sized animal, statistically if you live near them you are far more likely to be killed by a cow.

They look slow on land but for short bursts they can really go. I've seen one bigger than that go over a chain link fence in the blink of an eye.

Says the guy who lives in New York.

He’s just never tried swimming during breeding season. Those females and their eggs… such a treasure to get them, you gotta eat them quick though before you get ate yourself.

I was just thinking this. A former Floridian who goes to our church talks about gators and their preferred diet - dogs and cats . People living on lakes have their rottweilers and german shepherds turn up missing. He told me that one gator caught and killed during the annual hunt measured 26 feet long from nose to tail tip. Gator mating season they're especially dangerous.
The guy said he was glad to get away from the gators, the poisonous snakes, and the hurricanes and that's why they moved here. Then Helene hit and he said well two out of three isn't bad but when gators make it this far north he's leaving.

Robert wrote: ↑Sun Apr 27, 2025 9:25 am

barnhart wrote: ↑Sat Apr 26, 2025 8:26 pm Gators mostly stay in their space. It looks like someone built a housing development in that guy's space so I can't say it's really the gators fault. They are pretty harmless if you are not a small dog on a leash or a water snake. It's vary rare for them to attack a human sized animal, statistically if you live near them you are far more likely to be killed by a cow.

They look slow on land but for short bursts they can really go. I've seen one bigger than that go over a chain link fence in the blink of an eye.

Says the guy who lives in New York.

I grew up in rural Georgia where every pond had a gator, it was considered a good thing, it keeps out the water moccasins. I've swam "with the gators" many times. They hear you coming and creep to the far side.