As a surfer, swimmer and scuba diver, I have seen my share of sharks. But I've always felt relatively safe in the water, in part, because I live by the creed, "If I don't eat sharks, sharks won't eat me."
I wish I could say the same for alligators.
For 24 years now, since the day I arrived in the Sunshine State to attend South Florida, I have harbored a secret hankering for gator tail.
I like it smoked, fried, broiled ... basically any way I can get it.
To be quite honest, the thought of being devoured by a 10-foot reptile (or any other wild animal for that matter) frightens me, so I am usually on my best behavior when I find myself in gator country.
Generally speaking, I try to avoid close encounters with any member of the family Crocodylidae, having spent time in Australia, home to the saltwater crocodile, and the Amazon Basin, known for its black caimans.
Both species are known man and woman eaters and must be treated with great respect. The American alligator, Alligator mississippiensis, does not deserve the same fearsome reputation, but if I ever were attacked, I guess you could call it karma considering the vast amount of gator I have consumed.
But the odds of being attacked and killed by an alligator are low. Since state officials began keeping records in 1948, there have been roughly 330 alligator attacks in Florida. There is no record of how many victims were gator eaters.
Of those attacks, 13 were fatal, including one that occurred in 1981 not far from where a 74-year-old Sanibel woman was attacked Wednesday.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Jane Keefer was tending her backyard garden at dusk when the alligator, reportedly 9 feet, 7 inches in length, grabbed Keefer's leg and dragged her into a lake. Fortunately, Keefer's mammalian instincts kicked in, and she beat the reptile about the head, which prompted the beast to loosen its grip.
The alligator, which was later trapped, had undoubtedly lost its fear of humans because somebody had been feeding it. Be advised, a grown alligator is nothing to be trifled with. These reptiles can grow to 14 feet, weigh more than 1,000 pounds and might take that marshmallow you are offering and your arm with it.
With water temperatures on the rise, keep your distance from alligators.
Each year, the FWC gets about 15,000 complaints regarding nuisance alligators.
Most run when confronted by a human. Still, it is a good idea to remember the following safety tips, courtesy of the FWC, when heading outdoors during the summer:
Don't let small children play by themselves in or around lakes, ponds or rivers where alligators are known to roam.
Don't swim outside of posted swimming areas or in waters that might contain large alligators.
Don't swim at night, dusk or dawn, when alligators most actively feed. Swim only during daylight hours.
Don't feed alligators. It is against the law and can lead to them becoming accustomed to humans.
When cleaning fish, don't throw the scraps into the water or leave them on shore. Though you are not intentionally feeding alligators, the end result can be the same.
Don't allow pets to swim in waters where alligators are known to roam. Dogs are an alligator's favorite prey.
