Ellis on a day he was responding to six cases of nuisance alligators being reported. Copyright 2021 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved. It is illegal in the Florida to relocate a Alligator Often, people on social media ask why an alligator was killed when, in many cases, it doesnt seem to pose a significant danger. Nuisance Wildlife Trapper | Collier County, Florida | Ray A Warner Bros. Want more of our free, weekly newslettersinyourinbox? FWC officials said there are circumstances when alligators can be a threat to people or pets. At first glance, the requirements seem simple. If you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000. 2023 FOX Television Stations, Swim during the day and in designated areas, If you see an alligator, keep you distance, Buckeye woman stung more than 75 times during family photo shoot, first responders say, Florida man attacks another man with golf club on Lake County course, deputies say, Larry 'Gator' Rivers, Harlem Globetrotter legend from Georgia, dies at 73, Downtown Orlando bars now need special permit to sell alcohol after midnight, 2 high schoolers killed, 4 others hurt in shooting at house party in Mississippi. Right now there is funding to pay nuisance trappers $30 per catch for up to 7,000 gators a year. A very Florida job: FWC hiring alligator trapper - WKMG Thousands of Floridas nuisance alligators are killed each year Alligator Its illegal in Florida to relocate a nuisance alligator in the wild. alligator Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Today, there are approximately 1.3 million in Florida alone, and residents routinely call nuisance trappers like Vaughan to remove gators from swimming pools, neighborhood lagoons, and pretty much any other body of water they find their Trappers must be able to supply any equipment necessary to take alligators (truck, boat, snares, hooks, etc). In those situations, they are considered nuisance alligators., Related: Reptile breaks loose from van, gets wrangled by Alligator Farm staff | Video: Florida home offers 3-bed, 3-bath, and one 12-foot alligator | Alligator kills family dog at Naval Station Mayport. Elderly Florida woman dies after encounter with alligator | CNN Discovery Company. She whisks them to Croc Encounters, a facility she runs with her husband that houses all kinds of reptiles gators, crocodiles and snakes. His condition remains unclear. "I hate to see the animals destroyed when it's not necessary," Schusser said. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. A nuisance alligator is defined as one that is at least 4 feet in length and believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property. appreciated. Trapper Thomas Schusser sits atop an alligator he helped pull from a lake in Clearwater after it bit a man trying to retrieve a golfing disc. The state has a $210,000 budget for the purpose. These states excel in areas such as preschool enrollment, eighth-grade test scores and college degree completion. If the gator is still alive when the trapper comes back to check, they will euthanize it quickly, he said. Alligator This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Ellis has a warning for people who may encounter alligators that way. Florida By rule, if the trapped alligator is four feet or longer, it's considered a threat. The FWC and Brevard County fire officials did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. A nuisance alligator is defined as one that is at least 4 feet in length and believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property. The 6-foot alligator in a northern Hillsborough County backyard pond hadnt bothered anyone. People can file a complaint and a permit is issued if it meets the criteria. The 7-foot-9-inch animal, which later was found to have a leg injury, was trapped and killed. Wildlife commission data shows that nearly 80% of alligator complaints result in permits being issued. A family in Florida found a nearly 9-foot alligator with missing limbs on their doorstep. In a video Joey Quinlan posted on Facebook, you can see the reptile making itself comfortable under Quinlan's pickup truck. If you encounter an alligator you think will be a threat to people, pets or property, call the FWCs Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 1866FWCGATOR (3924286) or visit myfwc.com. That is about 57% of all permits. Be able to supply any equipment necessary to take alligators (truck, boat, snares, hooks, etc). Once a trapper is called, they have up to 45 days to snag the gators before the permit expires. Last year, alligators were caught on tape climbing fences and swimming on roads across the state. Maple Leafs-Lightning breakdown: Can the Rays loan the Bolts a closer? Trappers must assume personal liability for health, welfare and safety of themselves and their trapping agents. trapper Trappers must have email and cell phone capability. [I have to get the gators] out of the neighborhood so everybody can be safe again and feel comfortable being outside.. It wasnt injured. All rights reserved. She wishes the state would invest in more education about alligators. The prospective trapper would join the statewide nuisance alligator program. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. All Rights Reserved. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. Florida alligator trappers earn just $30 for each nuisance gator caught They make nothing if the gator gets away Each year, after 7,000 gators are caught Copyright 2023 News4JAX.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. FWC trapper removes 8-foot alligator from West Palm Beach Florida It feels like part of my duty to coexist, Bennett said. Utahs strong economy and business environment make it an attractive place, but experts and locals say that isnt all the Beehive State has to offer. But if it is larger than 4 feet, the trapper can either kill the gator or sell it to an alligator farm, animal exhibit or zoo, Sapp said. 2023 Cable News Network. A manager said they were interfering with work and even becoming aggressive because someone had been feeding them. Successful management by farmers and regulators resulted in them being removed from the endangered list in 1987. Assume personal liability for health, welfare and safety of themselves and their trapping agents. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Nuisance alligator trappers are primarily compensated by their marketing and sale of alligator products (hides and meat) from nuisance alligators taken, the FWC said. Published To become an alligator trapper, you have to submit an application. I like that gator.. Here are some other things to consider if you're interested in applying: If you think you'd be the perfect contracted nuisance alligator trapper for Sarasota County you have until Wednesday, April 14 to complete the Nuisance Alligator Trapper application. While alligator attacks and bites are considered rare by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, they do happen each year. It's alligator mating season, which means you'll likely see more of them over the next few months. CNNs Alaa Elassar contributed to this reporting. On Wednesday, he was called out to an apartment complex where an alligator was hanging out in a pond. FWC says it wants the legislature to approve a budget for up to 10,000 gators next year. The FWC said that can cause some problems for people or other alligators if they are successful. A Florida dog whose rescue went viral has a new job. Stay inside obviously, he said. To learn more about becoming a contracted nuisance alligator trapper and to apply online, visit MyFWC.com/Alligator and click on the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program. To put your alligator trapping skills to the test, apply by April 14. Trappers aren't allowed to relocate the alligator. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), there are more than 1.3 million alligators in the Sunshine State. The likelihood of a Florida resident being seriously injured during an unprovoked alligator incident in Florida is roughly only one in 3.1 million, according to FWC. We all want to live on the water, and roughly any body of water in the state of Florida is likely to have an alligator in it, Tim Geist, an alligator trapper in Hillsborough County, said. The FWC is looking for someone fearless enough to become an alligator trapper in their Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program. Florida News4JAX reporter Aaron Farrar got a firsthand look at what goes into catching these savage reptiles. If a person has a concern about a Ray Simonsen, Sr., aka "Ray the Trapper" is a contracted FWC Nuisance Alligator Trapper, an FWC Crocodile Response Agent, and an FWC Bear Response Contractor. Schusser said he is not in the trapping business to make a living. WebIn 2000, the Commission received 14,954 complaints. The FWC emphasizes that income earned from being a nuisance alligator trapper may be insufficient to fully support an individual or family, adding that most trappers have additional sources of income. In other words, alligators are just part of life in the Sunshine state, but some mitigation is required, in addition to respect for the animals natural habitat. Pexels. To put your alligator trapping skills to the test, apply by April 14. Julius Whigham II is a Some asked why he was there, saying that the alligator had been living in the pond for some time and had never been an issue. Subscribe to our free DayStarter newsletter. The Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) has been established to address complaints concerning specific alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets, or property. The video in the media player above shows the moments a couple of trappers from Florida Fish and Wildlifes Nuisance Alligator program take the alligator in. Aside from needing to be fearless, since the alligators you'd be trapping would be at least four feet in length, you must live near Sarasota County to be considered. And even though the state's nuisance animal program website explicitly states that trapped alligators are harvested, people don't always understand that. Schusser, an alligator trapper for the state, needed to head over to the Cliff Stephens Park in Clearwater right away. An FWC officer later recovered the victim's leg and foot from the water, per WESH's report.