New Emails Surface Regarding Alligator Attack. Firefighters were told to stop feeding the gators

[AuburnJen 777]

This is from CBS 12 News in West Palm Beach and quotes an article from the Orlando Sentinel.  If this proves true, the lawyers are going to have a field day.

http://cbs12.com/news/local/firefighters-at-disney-world-were-feeding-gators-and-warned-to-stop-report

According to emails obtained by Orlando Sentinel, Reedy Creek Emergency Services admonished firefighters for feeding at least one of two alligators at a station less than a half-mile from Seven Seas Lagoon where 2-year-old son Lane Graves was killed after being pulled into the water by a gator.

The emails were obtained through a public-records request made after an alligator snatched 2-year-old Lane Graves from the shore of the Seven Seas Lagoon on June 14 and drowned him while he was on vacation with family from Nebraska. The attack took place at Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

The email said employees were afraid after one gator was spotted near the parking lot and asked officials to remove it.

Reedy Creek District Administrator John Classe said Disney's animal-control department was contacted but he did not know whether either alligator was ever removed.

A Disney spokeswoman said Wednesday it was unclear whether the gator had been removed.

After that, many tourists came forward with their own stories of alligator sightings at Disney. One employee at the resort said at the time there was a problem with guests feeding the animals.

On April 20, communications captain Claude Rogers sent an email to Reedy Creek's fire command staff.

It was brought to our attention firefighters are feeding the alligators (this is illegal)," Rogers' email said. "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.

 

To read all the emails and full story visit: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-disney-emergency-services-firefighters-feeding-gators-20160713-story.html

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[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Crap.  Honestly, I had NO idea that anyone would even consider feeding a gator.  Really??!!  

What concerns me, is that it sounds like this is wide spreed (many different locations on property), which means that many animals will now consider humans a food source.  

Not good.

[AuburnJen 777]

They actually don't consider humans a food source.  They consider them a source to provide food.  There unfortunately is a difference.  See, they are reptiles and cannot rationalize.  If a human has been feeding them they know the large size human has food.  If there is a small size human, the animal sees that as the food source.  Eventually, the animal will be so accustomed to taking the food from humans that it can actually take the human as the food as well as the offering.  Growing up in Florida, I have seen it too many times. 

[Travisma 1,317]

23 minutes ago, AuburnJen said:

They actually don't consider humans a food source.  They consider them a source to provide food.  There unfortunately is a difference.  See, they are reptiles and cannot rationalize.  If a human has been feeding them they know the large size human has food.  If there is a small size human, the animal sees that as the food source.  Eventually, the animal will be so accustomed to taking the food from humans that it can actually take the human as the food as well as the offering.  Growing up in Florida, I have seen it too many times. 

That's why you don't walk dogs near the edges of water down here!

Little yappy dogs are a snack to gators.

[keith_h 420]

3 hours ago, twiceblessed....nacole said:

Crap.  Honestly, I had NO idea that anyone would even consider feeding a gator.  Really??!!  

What concerns me, is that it sounds like this is wide spreed (many different locations on property), which means that many animals will now consider humans a food source.  

Not good.

They do this for the same reason they consider feeding bears or other wildlife. No common sense and the feeling that rules/laws apply to everyone else but not them.

[Travisma 1,317]

26 minutes ago, keith_h said:

They do this for the same reason they consider feeding bears or other wildlife. No common sense and the feeling that rules/laws apply to everyone else but not them.

Then you have people like this....

 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/gone-viral/os-florida-woman-pet-gator-20160314-story.html

The link has a video interview with the woman...

 

Florida woman fighting to keep trained pet gator

Rambo may be green and scaly, but he's not like other alligators.

The 125-pound reptile wears clothes, can ride on the back of a motorcycle and has his own bedroom.

 

“Everyone will tell you that I treat that animal like a baby,” owner Mary Thorn said. “He doesn’t do anything a normal gator does.” 

Thorn says he's practically a celebrity in the Lakeland area where they live but now she's struggling to keep ownership of her beloved companion, despite having him for 11 years with a license.

At 15 years old, Rambo is nearing six feet long, which means he's now required by law to have 2.5 acres of land available to him, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife.

Thorn says even if she had the extra land, Rambo wouldn't be able to use it because he has a sensitivity to sunlight. When she received Rambo he was four years old and up to that point had been kept in a dark closet cramped in a tank with several other gators.

 

Rambo is a trained alligator living with owner Mary Thorn in Lakeland.

A letter Thorn provided from Privileged Critters Animal Hospital in Lakeland says alligators raised in a filtered light environment develop this type of sensitivity and therefore shouldn't be "left outside for any length of time."

Instead, Rambo stays inside Thorn's home -- but he's no couch potato. Thorn says she takes him to elementary schools, charity events and conventions to teach people about reptiles.

 

She says she's taught him not to bite, scratch, head butt or swat, which allows him to interact with the public safely.

"He loves kids and when kids come around he shuts his mouth really tight so fingers can’t go in his mouth," Thorn said, adding that she's been given permission to have him out and about without his snout taped shut.

FWC spokesman Gary Morse said at this point, Thorn's case is still open and under investigation, meaning there's no concrete timeline for a resolution.

Because Thorn had Rambo before the 2.5 acre stipulation went into effect, there is a chance the pair could be grandfathered in. If that were the case, the duo wouldn't have to be separated, but Morse said that's still up in the air. Thorn said she'll soon have to go to court to get that issue settled and address a clerical error regarding the address on her license.

In the meantime, Thorn said she's in a tough spot. She's had trouble finding someone with the proper license to take Rambo. She's had an offer from a reptile encounter attraction in Tampa, but because he's so docile and has trouble in the sun she's worried about what could happen to him.

“I know when he goes there he’s going to be really afraid and he’s probably going to pass away from stress,” Thorn said.

While Rambo's fate remains in limbo, Thorn is doing everything she can to keep her gator. She's looking into getting him certified as a therapy animal and she said Rambo's fans and followers have also signed a petition and reached out to FWC asking that he be allowed to stay.

“Without him, I don’t feel like even wanting to go on,” Thorn said. “Everybody is taking it pretty hard because they know how much I love the gator.”

[shoreline99 137]

RCFD's contract is in negotiations. FF/EMT's have been working without a contract for a while now (unless something has changed in the last month or two). RCID has even considered shifting certain services (technical rescue, haz mat) over to the county under a separate contract. The fire union was going to protest at the opening of the newest garage back in May at DS, not sure if they carried through with that threat or not.

My money is on upper management floating this to the press for the upper hand in bargaining position, but that's just the cynic in me.

 

EDIT: FWIW, I'm not commenting on the appropriateness of the actions, just the release of information.

[Helmsey......Todd 134]

1 hour ago, keith_h said:

They do this for the same reason they consider feeding bears or other wildlife. No common sense and the feeling that rules/laws apply to everyone else but not them.

This was the most recent story of bear feedings around here. Sadly it happens WAY too often.

 

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

I have no words... really.  Don't get it.  

[Seals 111]

I don't even get people who feed seagulls. Who wants those nasty things swooping all around them. And then no one can eat on the beach without them appearing. Do people really think these animals would starve without their assistance? Is the entertainment value really that great?. 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

18 minutes ago, Seals said:

I don't even get people who feed seagulls. Who wants those nasty things swooping all around them. And then no one can eat on the beach without them appearing. Do people really think these animals would starve without their assistance? Is the entertainment value really that great?. 

Amen to that.

And while we are at it, if any of you feed the squirrels at the Fort, please don't.

Those damned tree rats have gotten bold, and come up to campsites, and on to picnic tables looking for human food.

There are signs everywhere saying not to do it, but every trip, I see knuckleheads doing it.

Please don't.

TCD

[Travisma 1,317]

10 minutes ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Amen to that.

And while we are at it, if any of you feed the squirrels at the Fort, please don't.

Those damned tree rats have gotten bold, and come up to campsites, and on to picnic tables looking for human food.

There are signs everywhere saying not to do it, but every trip, I see knuckleheads doing it.

Please don't.

TCD

The tree rats were especially fat and bold during our last trip over the 4th. They were everywhere, even under the PUP nosing around.

 

I even saw a couple with little placards saying "Will work for stale donuts" and "TCD we're starving"

[shoreline99 137]

Can we still feed the armadillos?

[ftwildernessguy 778]

I have been told by FW management that the welcome packet now contains a memo warning people to keep their crock pots inside when I am in the area.  Just another senseless ban on feeding the wildlife at the Fort.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

41 minutes ago, Travisma said:

I even saw a couple with little placards saying "Will work for stale donuts" and "TCD we're starving"

For the record, that was my last donut, and I planned on eating it.  It wasn't that stale.

Dirty tree rats.

TCD

[Memphis 105]

When we first moved to Florida we lived on Lake Tarpon, a large lake in Pinellas county.  We saw gators every day. There was a lady that lived on the lake that fed the gators chicken legs from her dock. She had them take the food right out of her hand until one got confused where the food stopped and her hand began.  She made a big one handed fuss when the Florida wildlife people came trapped and then killed her "pet."

[AuburnJen 777]

There is another alligator story that is in the news.  This person has had it for decades.  It is now 13 feet long and has never been outside the confines of this guy's house.  The neighbor wants to put it in the wild where it will surely die.  They are now terrified considering the massive coverage all this has received in the news. (the story was updated when I copied it, but I watched the news last night and have been listening to reports from the neighbors who are barking very loudly to the FWC)  I believe it said he has had the gator 47 years?

http://cbs12.com/news/local/florida-man-fights-to-keep-cookie-eating-pizza-loving-pet-gator

There is a video of him feeding the gator chocolate chip cookies on the website link.

Florida man fights to keep cookie eating, pizza loving 'pet' gator

BY VICTORIA PRICE WEDNESDAY, JULY 13TH 2016

COCONUT GROVE, Fla. — A South Florida man is in a battle with state wildlife officials to keep his 47-year-old pet gator.

David Van Buren has had 'Gwendolyn' for nearly 5 decades.

WSVN reports, the Coconut Grove man has owned Gwendolyn for the past 47 years, since he was 9 years old. He even took the gator to college.

The gator loves snacking on cookies and pizza.

But Florida Fish and Wildlife officials informed him the alligator has grown too big to keep on his property after they received a complaint that his

13-foot gator was living in his 'backyard.'

"Unfortunately, Gwendolyn the alligator is not in the proper caging it is supposed to be," said Veloz. "Mr. Van Buren has been advised

about this right now, and at the moment, we are investigating the whole situation."

Van Buren tells WSVN that his pet is healthy and is unable to escape. 

Now the fight is on to keep his beloved gator.

F.W.C. officials said David must make some changes to his property.

[keith_h 420]

3 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Amen to that.

And while we are at it, if any of you feed the squirrels at the Fort, please don't.

Those damned tree rats have gotten bold, and come up to campsites, and on to picnic tables looking for human food.

There are signs everywhere saying not to do it, but every trip, I see knuckleheads doing it.

Please don't.

TCD

The first time we went to Lassen National Park the ranger told us not to leave water containers or food out. It had nothing to do with the bears but the grey squirrels. They had been so habituated to folks that camped there feeding them that they would chew through any container they saw sitting out. That included the water jugs many of us use as they learned they could put a few holes in it and not have to go to the lake for a drink.

[Starbuc71 162]

Sonny Crockett kept his pet alligator Elvis on his sailboat and he was a Miami vice detective ...lol

[Beckers 1,136]

You know what's really frustrating ?? When someone in your development feeds the squirrels peanuts and the darn little rats bring them to your yard to eat them and your kid is severely allergic.  Ugh I get livid just thinking about that all over again. 

[AuburnJen 777]

Elvis was not as "nice" as Gwendolyn, lol

[AuburnJen 777]

6 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Amen to that.

And while we are at it, if any of you feed the squirrels at the Fort, please don't.

Those damned tree rats have gotten bold, and come up to campsites, and on to picnic tables looking for human food.

There are signs everywhere saying not to do it, but every trip, I see knuckleheads doing it.

Please don't.

TCD

At WWW this year, we left out some food by accident and the rodents were on it like white is on rice.

[LONE-STAR 370]

7 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

Amen to that.

And while we are at it, if any of you feed the squirrels at the Fort, please don't.

Those damned tree rats have gotten bold, and come up to campsites, and on to picnic tables looking for human food.

There are signs everywhere saying not to do it, but every trip, I see knuckleheads doing it.

Please don't.

TCD

Last month on our last day at the fort we came back from the pool and our whole camp site smelled like propane and I could hear it hissing. So I shut the tanks down and told the wife I would fix it when we got home. We'll after checking the lines I found one of the rubber propane lines on the slide had been chewed up by a animal.

[Travisma 1,317]

6 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

For the record, that was my last donut, and I planned on eating it.  It wasn't that stale.

Dirty tree rats.

TCD

We left a watermelon out the first day while we went to the pool.  I came back and found a gnawed spot in the rind.  Kept the melon in the PUP after that episode.

[DramaMama .......... Janet 75]

I got so frustrated with people feeding the ducks while waiting out the lightning delay to watch Illuminations.  Hard time explaining to my kids why they could not/should not join in with EVERYBODY around them feeding the wildlife.  That was the night before the attack at GF.