Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission saved four juvenile alligators that were allegedly taken from their nest by poachers.
The FWC’s rescue effort began with a call from a worried resident, and an officer arrived to the juvenile gators quickly. The specific time and location of the purported poaching incident in Florida are unknown.
The FWC posted a picture of the young alligators on Facebook on Tuesday along with the statement, “The young alligators are now back where they belong, safe and sound.”
The FWC claims that the unidentified poachers are being prosecuted for 14 misdemeanors, including the theft of an adult female alligator, for taking the baby gators.
In the Sunshine State, alligators are protected species, which means that killing them outside of the gator hunting season is prohibited unless the FWC determines that the reptile poses a threat and will then dispatch a state-certified trapper to remove it.
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The season for alligator hunting is from August 15 to November 8. The Statewide Alligator Harvest Program is free to apply for, but requires the submission of a credit card. Applications can only be submitted once. The FWC will use random draws to distribute 7,356 permits.
With the start of the Sunshine State’s mating season, gator sightings are expected to increase during the next few months. This month will have a higher likelihood of seeing the enormous reptiles because mating season begins in April and lasts until June.
Males tend to become more violent during mating season. Even though alligator attacks are uncommon, locals should exercise caution around ponds and other bodies of water, especially when their pets are there.
Call the FWC’s Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 1-866-FWC-GATOR if you witness an alligator that seems to pose a threat to humans, pets, or property.
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