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Alligator snatches 2-year-old child at Florida Disney resort

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I've heard many cases of those gators jumping out of the water and attacking small pets close to the shore, but this is the first case I've known one to take a small child. My heart goes out to that family. I can't imagine the anguish of that father failing to rescue his son.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

A relative of mine worked as a golf pro for a country club in Georgia. The club was part of a very high end retirement community and the fairways were lined with plush mini-estates. Reports started coming in from golfers about a large alligator lurking in one of the water hazards. According the reports the gator was rushing out of the water and goggling up any golf ball that landed close to the waters edge.

The local sheriff was called along with local wildlife control officers. An onsite inspection verified that there was indeed an alligator in the hazard, it was swallowing golf balls and it was big. The wild life folks said it was eating the golf balls to use as gizzard stones, apparently gators have gizzards and eat small stones to grind their food.

After looking at the situation the wild life officers decided that the alligator had established this pond and the surrounding area as its territory. This territory just happened to include a ritzy housing community. The decision was made to kill the alligator and as everybody was getting ready the sheriff mentioned, to my relative, that he'd been getting a whole lot of calls from the rich people about missing pets. He figured this gator had something to do with it.

The sheriff was enlisted to shoot the alligator and when he was finished the wild life people hauled the carcass to the lab to do a dissection for their records. Sure enough, when they opened the gizzard there were a bunch of golf balls but there was something else in there, too. About a dozen nice little dog collars in various stages of digestion.

Alligators spook me out. Every time I've been in the position of looking one in the eye, I get the distinct impression that they are coolly and dispassionately sizing me up as a potential meal. It's creepy.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Just awful.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

A family of 5 from Nebraska off to sunny Florida for a fun vacation, and then this. Such a tragedy. I suspect that being from Nebraska they probably weren't thinking about alligators swimming nearby. I'm not from around FL either, so I would have probably had my guard down, too. However, I do have relatives there and they're more aware of the dangers alligators pose than people in other parts of the U.S.

The alligators are everywhere in central Florida on down, not just the rivers and lakes. They can be found in the country club ponds and sunning themselves on the golf courses (my uncle told me that) and I've seen alligators swim by my car in the ditches along the roadside. Sometimes they'll even pop up in your backyard.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I predict a lawsuit with a huge out-of-court settlement

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Orlando seems nice.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Dangerous animals should be put down, especially if they're anywhere near human civilisation. why is that!? its their habitat, they were here long before humans. they're doing whats natural for them to survive, they don't distinguish between a small child, bird, goat etc what needs to be done is humans need to stay well away from their habitats whether it be natural or artificial.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Two years old. Even alligators are not in water, the child might be down. I think alligator already ate the child.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Alligators are common in Florida, but rarely attack humans.

True. People – even small people – are not their typical prey. A dozen or so bite happen each year, and the gators leave it at that.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I predict a lawsuit with a huge out-of-court settlement

It's possible. However, it has been reported that there are posted signs which prohibit wading in that area.. While the child wouldn't have been able to read the signs, grown-ups should have seen them.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It's possible.

It a certainty there will be a lawsuit. It is highly probable Disney will settle as quickly as possible. Disney World brings in, now get this 78 million/day on average. That's gross income.

5, 10, even 20 million in a settlement is worth it.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@wtfjapan

Are you serious ? You think it's safe to live near a known bear-infested forest just because the bears were there first? In your line of thinking, we should all just kill ourselves because the animals were here first.

Any time you put an animal's life and well-being above a human's, you're making a big mistake. Only in first world countries do we have the luxury of complaining about animal cruelty and preservation.

Look at evolution and tell me I'm wrong.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Rip

The boy was found nearby he disappeared.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Sad way to lose a child. But lesson learned I think. I'm curious as to whether or not the resort had sign posted, "beware of alligators" or something similar. If not then they deserve the upcoming lawsuit for not providing a safe area to the customers.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Beside alligator, there are snakes crawling.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

There were 'No Swimming' signs. It's not a bathing area.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Florida seems to be in the news quite a lot recently for tragedies

0 ( +0 / -0 )

You have to wonder why Disney made a beach area when the water is not safe for bathing. Any small child on the beach is sure to want to splash in the water.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

We all advocate animal preservation until something like this happens. Dangerous animals should be put down, especially if they're anywhere near human civilization. Everyone says that this would be cruel, but when you're child gets snatched away from you by a wild animal and you're helpless to stop it, maybe then you'll change your peaches and roses mentality towards the world.

Horrible tragedy, but preventable.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

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