She's back-Bonnet is closed to diving

[Janet]

As you saw in TJ's pictures the reptiles are back, I walked into Bonnet and Momma is back-park management has closed Bonnet Springs down to all diving until future notice-it is a safety issue and the decision to dive there is not left up to the individual divers-sorry.
There are 4 steps left underwater at Orange and P1, Orange Grove is covered with duckweed, visibility is great through out the system and the cave fauna is being reported to be in record numbers-by the divers seeing the cave fauna.
Janet

[curtschu]

I have to say I saw more crayfish than I have seen this year in PIII Sunday.

[aw]

As you saw in TJ's pictures the reptiles are back, I walked into Bonnet and Momma is back-park management has closed Bonnet Springs down to all diving until future notice-it is a safety issue and the decision to dive there is not left up to the individual divers-sorry.
There are 4 steps left underwater at Orange and P1, Orange Grove is covered with duckweed, visibility is great through out the system and the cave fauna is being reported to be in record numbers-by the divers seeing the cave fauna.
Janet

Aaahh, man. We've always had to deal with landowner relations in keeping caves open, but now we've got inhabitant relations. Mama probably don't want no money, but do you think she'll take some poultry to go away?

[Angie Reim]

Now ya'll don't get in an uproar about what I'm about to say......but......when an alligator exceeds 6' isn't it then classified a potential threat to humans and then can be humanely relocated/made into boots? I watch Animal Planet - I imagine I have been properly misinformed.

Not that I want to kill the 'gator but given that it is on park property, it's species status is no longer endangered and people sure would like to use the property, can it not be legally encouraged to leave? Maybe locate it's nest further down the run next season because it's too much trouble to raise young near the spring? The mature, big ones have to live somewhere but I wonder where the surely (even bigger) male gator is hanging out.

I'm just curious - being a native Floridian, I am accustomed to the presence of alligators and probably view them a little differently than many folks. I probably have more of a 'conservationist' mindset.

[DeWayne]

Regardless of size it cannot be considered a nuisance until it starts showing signs of aggresiveness towards humans. That is when the liscensed trappers will be called out to either relocate or destroy it. They typically do not become nuisances unless someone is feeding it, and it then overcomes its natural instincts to fear and avoid human contact. If it was in a subdivision housing enough money, there would be a very slim chance of getting it moved sans an actual attack. Removing it from Park property short of an actual attack sounds like it is just not going to happen, nor should it. This is their natural habitat and we are the guests, so learn to live with it in peace. Moma will protect her nest when she has eggs or young, but other than that she is going to avoid humans as much as possible unless they first harass her.

[Angie Reim]

That's what I figured. No...of course...NEVER feed an alligator. They are, after all, reptiles with the classic reptilian brain going on inside. They don't bother me unless they are bigger than me and the water is murky. I once saw a 10' gator hide in about 18" of water. Creeped me out given that the gator was longer than my canoe.

I'm just a little more bloody-minded than some folks. I've been accused of that before......

[DeWayne]

I used to hunt with the liscensed trapper for Polk county, after growing up there and swimming with them in all the reclaimed phosphate pits. They really are more afraid of us no matter how big they are, until some fool starts feeding them and changing their opinion of us. Like most wild animals they will flee if given the chance. I have stumbled into a den or two years back and the worst it brought about was a bunch of hissing until I was gone.

[Genesis]

I've no problem with them until and unless they get aggressive - which, as DeWayne has noted, doesn't happen unless someone feeds it.

Problem is, it only has to be fed once or twice. Then it will associate people with food, and things go downhill FAST from there.

Thing is, so long as that's not the case, and it does not have young it is protecting in its nest, its not a threat. If we barred humans from parks anywhere there was a gator within "range" we'd not have any access to the parks at all.

Now you start talking about Moccasins, and I'm perfectly happy to use a snakecharmer instead of doing the "live and let live" thing..... that has something to do with them dropping into canoes, boats, etc...

[divindoubles]

Krikey mayt, just call in Steve Irwin and his pretty wife and kid and the problem is solved. How bout a Foster's while I throw another shrimp on the barbie?

[GLM]

Just put the gator on the barbie... they taste just like chicken!