Gator removals at Disney increase since toddler died
State wildlife officials removed more than twice as many alligators from Walt Disney World properties in the six months after a toddler was killed last year when a gator pulled him into the water.
Lane Graves was killed June 14, 2016, on the shores of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. Prior to his death that year, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conser- vation Commission removed 24 gators from Disney properties, with kills every other month. That number more than doubled to 53 from the date of the incident to the end of the year, when they removed some every month, data shows.
“In keeping with our strong commitment to safety, we continue to reinforce procedures related to reporting sightings and interactions with wildlife, and
work closely with Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission to remove or relocate certain wildlife from our property in accordance with state regulations,” a Disney spokeswoman said in a statement.
FWC data shows 16 gators were killed in June 2016 and another 17 in July 2016. About 40 alligators have been removed so far in 2017 through early September. The highest month for removals was July 2017. February was the only month in none were recorded.
The alligators were removed as part of FWC’s Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program, which eliminates alligators longer than 4 feet that may pose a threat to people, pets or property, by the request of the land owners. The program helps control the alligator population while keeping people safe, according to FWC.
“Alligator incidents are a rare occurrence in Florida,” said FWC spokeswoman Katie Purcell. “The goal of SNAP is to proactively address alligator threats in developed areas, while conserving alligators in areas where they naturally occur.”
More gators were also killed at Orange County’s Moss Park this year after a 10-year-old girl was bitten in the leg there in May. FWC removed about 10 gators from the park in the three months after the incident, records show. Just two were removed in 2016, both in July.
In 2016, SNAP received 12,772 nuisance alligator complaints statewide, resulting in the removal of 8,118 alligators. Through September, there have been about 6,500 taken out of Florida waterways.
Licensed trappers typically kill the gators to sell their meat and hide, which is their main source of income. Sometimes trappers take them to an animal farm or zoo. Gat- ors aren’t relocated because Florida already has a healthy gator population in areas where they are no threat to humans, FWC said.
The removal process is largely between the property managers and FWC contractors. The two parties enter into a targeted harvest area permit, which determines what qualifies as a nuisance gator and how many can be removed within a certain time period, according to FWC.
Lane, 2, who was visiting from Nebraska with his family, was playing near the water on the beach at the Magic Kingdom-area resort when an alligator appeared out of Seven Seas Lagoon and pulled him into the water.
Lane’s body was found the next day. His death was ruled an accidental drowning.
In the aftermath, Disney added a boulder wall and fencing by the water and reptile warning signs at that resort and several others that border water. Disney also has reinforced training with employees to look out for any wildlife that may cause trouble for guests.
Disney’s current permit was signed in 2009 and runs until 2023, records say. There have been nearly 300 alligators harvested from Disney’s property since 2009.