Big Gator Near Schools Worries Parents

[alicia-w]

Big Gator Near Schools Worries Parents, Students
Officers Say They Are Monitoring Situation



MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. -- Children at two Miami-Dade County schools say they are keeping an eye out for a large alligator that has taken up residence in a nearby pond.

The 5- to 6-foot gator is in a canal directly across from Ruben Dario Middle School and Stirrup Elementary School near Northwest 97th Avenue and Flagler Street. The canal also runs behind a busy shopping center nearby.

Parents said they are not happy about having a large alligator so close to the schools.

Nella Colon, a parent of a student who attends one of the schools, said, "They (officials) need to check every day here. There are too many kids coming to school here every day."

Students said that the alligator has already grabbed and eaten a dog in the neighborhood

Florida Fish and Wildlife officers said that it is common for alligators to be swimming in the canals and sunning themselves on the banks at this time of year because of the coolness of the water.

Officers said they are monitoring the situation, but don't have any plans at this time to try to capture the gator.

[george_r_1961]

Hopefully they wont send a dog after it or fire beanbags at it like they did with the wild boar here

http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=80364

[CentralFlGal]

Fences help when you live in the Everglades...

[O Town]

Hopefully they wont send a dog after it or fire beanbags at it like they did with the wild boar here

http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=80364

No, it has already eaten one. Happens all the time. But I get what you are saying. If a gator becomes a threat they usually just shoot it. Rarley do they relocate them because they are a threat to humans at that point.

[Derek Ortt]

big deal

there are crocodiles over 10 feet long on the main UM campus.

Common sense says stay away from the water and we have not had any incidents since they started to appear a couple of years ago

[O Town]

big deal

there are crocodiles over 10 feet long on the main UM campus.

Common sense says stay away from the water and we have not had any incidents since they started to appear a couple of years ago

Yeah, but what if people who don't know it is there walk up to the water with thier 1 year old and the gator decides to grab the baby. It is common sense, but if you don't know he is in there then what? I know I don't let my dog swim in the lakes anymore at all because of a close call we had one time with a gator hauling butt right after my dog, and I hear the stories all the time of dogs getting ate. They also have taken a few small children, I think if this gator has already eaten one dog then it may be time for the gator to go, I hate that this has to happen but it is best for the saftey of that community. And are you sure you seeing crocs there at UM? Usually crocs in Florida are in the ocean and are salt water crocs. At any rate if I were a parent there I would be concerned too, but I also would tell my kids not to go near the water, but you know how well kids listen to rules at times.

[Skywatch_NC]

Derek,

Are there warning signs there at the UM waterfront?

I know from when my folks and I went to FL for a cousin's wedding and mini vacation we went and saw the outside of a condo complex in Bradenton where some "snowbird" friends of our's lived part of the year and at the complex pond there were BEWARE OF ALLIGATORS signs.

Eric