Alligators & Stupid People

Today's Alligator Safety Rule: If the general public can see an alligator, you must assume that the alligator is being fed by the public.

This weekend, we went on several outings to see some alligators in a lake. We found a nice spot where they could be viewed from the car. We wondered, why do these alligators hang out here and even cruise closer when we show up? Why are these guys so pudgy? Unfortunately, the answer was -- because redneck families show up about every half hour to feed them.

We observed people feed alligators:
- Breadsticks from Pizza Hut
- Bread
- Beef Jerky

In one instance, we saw people allow their young children to sit on a concrete retaining wall and dangle their feet towards water when two 5-foot alligator were about eight feet away. (The kids feet were about four feet from the water on a concrete embankment with a 45-degree angle to water.) While the alligators were impeded by a small (3-inch) diameter fall tree trunk, they would have had a pretty good shot at snatching a kid. In another instance, a guy was trying to feed a 10 to 12-foot alligator and coax him to climb over the log so that he would be within about five feet of him.

So, now that I realize these alligators associate people with food:
1) I have to observe them from the car or right by the car door.
2) I have to consider calling the game wardens to let them know what is going on.
3) I have to know that these alligators will eventually have to be removed from a prime location.
4) I have to give all alligators an even wider berth because people are much dumber than I thought. :S

I don't want to deviate from your topic too much but I have to relate a similar story.

I was doing a contract in Nairobi, Kenya. There is a game park outside of town where there are fences on three sides but one end is open for the animals to come and go as they please.

My buddy and I were out there one day and came up on a lion with a kill. It was alongside a watering hole and she was guarding it carefully. We stopped on the opposite side and watched for a while, from the car.

Some idiot drove up in a new red BMW, sunroof open and all windows down. His kids were standing on the seat, hanging out of the sunroof and he got out of the car and started walking towards and waving his arms at the lion.

That lion got into a crouch and started inching towards him. I told my buddy we were going to get to see a fresh kill. He thought twice and moved back to the car and left.

I couldn't believe he would do something like that AND allow his kids to be put into that kind of position. After witnessing that first hand, I can believe stupid is rampant around us.

All I can say is that: "WE ARE SURROUNDED BY THEM" and there is NO easy way out... (talking about STUPID people here, not the animals) 8)

Speaking of alligators, they are very tasty if prepared properly. I understand that "blackened" alligator is very good.

Yeah, that part totally stinks. Growing up in Florida, we peacefully coexisted with an alligator living in the drainage ditch behind our house for about five years. Then the gator surprised a neighbor two doors down by coming all the way up on the bank and meeting him by his back gate. That neighbor claimed that he was dumping his dinner leftovers (chicken bones, etc.) on the bank as compost. Our gator might have lived because they were listed as endangered or threatened back in the early 80s. But, today, they pretty much end up as luggage.

What was that word again? Oh yeah, "KRIKEY!"

Isn't that all I need to say before jumping into a swamp and wrestling an aligator just to get a closer look? Or is my red neck showing again?

I believe it's safe to assume that there are more stupid people than there are smart people in the world! :S