Alligator Warning Signs

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, there have been 16 fatal alligator attacks in the state since the 1950s and about 15 or so non-fatal attacks are reported each year (2009). There is no way to predict whether an alligator will attack but there are certain indications of alligator presence and some safety precautions to observe.

  1. Activity

    • Most of the time, alligators feed around dusk and into the early evening hours and are also active very early in the morning. It is wise to avoid swimming in areas frequented by alligators especially during these times of the day. Alligators may also be attracted to food when fish are cleaned and the scraps discarded into the water. Swimming or even dangling toes or fingers into the water in places where fish have been cleaned can tempt an alligator to attack.

    Habitat

    • Alligators enjoy warm, shallow waters and will wait in them to ambush prey. Floaters in canoes, kayaks and other craft should stay closer to the center of the stream when approaching bends in rivers. The presence of a wallow or large indentation in the mud near the bank of a river or other body of water is an indication of an alligator's habitat. A slide area in the mud ending in the water is another sign of alligator presence.

    Juveniles

    • Small alligators, usually with yellow stripes on them, are most likely juveniles and are extremely likely to have a mother alligator close by. Young alligators stay with a parent for up to one year and parents are extremely protective of their brood. Parental alligators may also be more aggressive during nesting time that usually lasts all summer.

    Observation

    • Alligators have a natural fear of humans and will usually head for the nearest pool of water with haste to avoid people. When alligators are observed, it is advisable to keep a safe distance away from them and never taunt or provoke them in any way. It is also not a good practice to feed alligators as this trains them to overcome their fear of humans.