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CALVIN R. PECK, JR.
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Tab 9
In a typical gator encounter, Dorsey said, island residents should inform the conservancy and
village authorities. The village holds a state wildlife permit that allows removal of wildlife, such
as the annual culling of the island's deer population.
Dorsey said conservancy staff met with and reviewed the gator behavior noticed by the
homeowner. "We evaluated and found that it would not be a threat," she said.
Dorsey said the conservancy conducts annual education programs on alligators, especially during
the summer months when visitors abound.
"We take a real deliberate approach to alligators, and alligator education. What we do every
summer is have a high-energy effort to educate the public about alligators. We have twiceweekly
conservancy programs, and our interns take people to the overlook area to answer
questions they may have. If we see people do something they shouldn't be doing with the gators,
we let them know."
Feeding an alligator is a recipe for danger, Dorsey said. Alligators fed by humans lose their
natural fear of humans and begin to look to them for food.
"We've seen some very scary behavior, but it's from people," she said.
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