Miami-Dade Public Schools Reconvenes Its Coronavirus Task Force The largest males and females will defend prime territory. Alligators are a part of the natural order down here and are really quite common in most of Florida’s lakes, rivers and streams. Alligators primarily inhabit freshwater swamps and marshes and can also be found in rivers, lakes, and smaller bodies of water. And our water levels are still rising. The Florida state record for length is a 14 foot 3-1/2 inch male from Lake Washington in Brevard County. Hopefully next storm, these alligators find a less public spot to walk around.”. However, there are still many male alligators out there that will mate several females at once. Now spotting an alligator in Florida isn’t difficult. Table of officially-measured, large Florida alligators; New! MIAMI (CBSMiami) — Not one, but two huge alligators were spotted recently taking leisurely strolls in Florida and the videos are going viral. Alligator management programs implemented by FWC emphasize the conservation of alligator populations for their ecological, aesthetic, and economic values while providing for public use and safety. Mazzotti has been tagging and tracking alligators in the Florida Everglades for 15 years, and says the gator population there is now less than half of what you would expect in a healthy habitat. According to Florida Fish and Wildlife, Lake George near the St. Johns River in northwest Florida has the most, with more than 2,300. That’s far more than Broward (565) … The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) estimates there are 1.3 million alligators in the state. Ron DeSantis Reveals Who Is Next In Line For Coronavirus Vaccine, Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa Showing Growth Says CBS' Charles Davis: 'You Can See Him Getting More Confidence, He's Learning', Fight Led To Deadly Shooting Inside Miami-Dade Apartment, Couple Emerges From Sanctuary After Hiding Out In Philadelphia Church Basement For 843 Days, Police Arrest Man Making Threats From Roof Of Commercial Building In Cutler Bay, Miami Weather: We're In For The Chilliest Christmas Day In Two Decades. Report fish kills, wildlife emergencies, sightings, etc. However, you can avoid alligator attacks with some normal common sense. Roughly 1.25 million alligators live in the Sunshine state but when you spot an alligator so big that it resembles a dinosaur, well that’s something. Roughly 1.25 million alligators live in the state of Florida. According to Newsweek, it is estimated that there are around 1.3 million alligators in Florida. There are an estimated five million American alligators in the southeastern U.S. with a quarter of the alligator population in Florida. So, if you live in Cape Coral, know this: 1. The Florida record for weight is a 1,043 pound (13 feet 10-1/2 inches long) male from Orange Lake in Alachua County. 620 S. Meridian St. • Tallahassee, FL • (850) 488-4676 Even the best efforts at keeping a body of … The other alligator was seen crossing a flooded road at Everglades National Park in Shark Valley. Record Number Of Invasive Pythons Removed From Florida Everglades. The media makes it seem worse than it is. Parts of South Florida’s Everglades National Park were closed due to flooding from Tropical Storm Eta on Friday, November 13, making it easier for the resident alligator to make its way across the flooded road. Behavior. Florida alligators are showing their true flexibility and range -- social media has caught one climbing a fence and another swimming in a flooded road. Search for alligator harvest information using the CITES tag number or permit holder name. There are 1.25 billion in Florida. First, populations of American alligators are increasing and recovering (U.S. I got this off of animal planet on a show about them in Florida. In fact, alligators appear to be loyal to their mating partners. If there were no laws to protect alligators from people, there would be very few to none left today. Pursuant to section 120.74, Florida Statutes, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has published its 2019 Agency Regulatory Plan. Over the past five years, trappers removed more alligators (3,020) from Palm Beach County than any other county in Florida. Copyright 1999 - 2020 State of Florida. That’s exactly what happened to Tyler Stolting last week when he spotted a gigantic alligator near a tee box at the Valencia Golf & Country Club in Naples on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Living in Florida, we have to share our space with a very large reptile, the American alligator (Alligator mississipiensis).Because of Florida's booming population growth, people and alligators are constantly forced to cross paths, increasing the chances of conflict. The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), sometimes referred to colloquially as a gator or common alligator, is a large crocodilian reptile native to the Southeastern United States, with a small population in Mexico. Congratulations, we win. Florida law prohibits the feeding of alligators because that removes their innate fear of humans. “It’s an iconic species and conservation success story. That includes marshes, lakes, canals, rivers and swamps, and that roughly equals one alligator for every 15 residents . They can tolerate a reasonable degree of salinity for short periods of time and are occasionally found in brackish water around mangrove swamps even though they lack the salt-secretin… With so many of these predators roaming around, one might anticipate fatal alligator attacks are a regular occurrence. Large male alligators are solitary, territorial animals. There are more than 19.5 million people living in Florida and only 1 to 1.8 million alligators. Roughly 1.25 million alligators live in the Sunshine state but when you spot an alligator so big that it resembles a dinosaur, well that’s something. Alligator is the crocodilian reptile in the Alligatoridae family and the genus Alligator. “As a result from recent tropical weather, we are currently experiencing the highest water levels that we’ve seen since 1962 during this time of the year. Florida has an estimated 1.3 million wild alligators, or about one for every 15 residents, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Improved answer: probably closer to 1.25 MILLION. ©2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Interestingly enough, this study shows that at least 70 percent of female alligators chose to mate with the same alligator time and time again, over a period of many years. By viewing our video content, you are accepting the terms of our. The Florida alligator is regularly in the news because they turn up everywhere close to freshwater. Lake Kissimmee near Orlando comes in second with just shy of 2,000. They are greatly outnumbered by humans, but alligators have been living in Florida many millions of years of before humans came there. People can report nuisance alligators to FWC by calling 866-FWC-GATOR (392-4286). 6.5K views Florida law prohibits feeding, harassing, possessing alligators or killing them without a state permit. 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