What Happens To the Gators Removed From Walt Disney World?
It isn't always a fairytale ending
If you are in Florida, it’s a safe bet that alligators are going to be in or near water, and that includes areas of Walt Disney World.
Given the size of the Resort, you can imagine that there are many gators hidden throughout. Some have even been reported on water attractions.
Alligators don’t know they are somewhere they shouldn’t be. They are simply trying to find a suitable habitat to live. Sadly, this comes at a cost to humans and the alligators themselves.
But how many gators are in the parks, and what happens to them when they are caught?
According to a new report in ClickOrlando, there have been 414 alligators caught and removed from the Walt Disney World property in the last ten years.
Efforts were likely ramped up after two-year-old Lane Thomas Graves was attacked and killed by an alligator near the Grand Floridian Resort on June 14, 2016.
On average, about 36 gators are removed from the Walt Disney World Resort each year. In 2016, there were 83 alligators removed after Lane Graves died.
What happens to the alligators that are caught?
Disney previously said they try to “remove or relocate certain wildlife” that is captured on property.
“In keeping with our strong commitment to safety, we continue to reinforce procedures related to reporting sightings and interactions with wildlife, and work closely with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to remove or relocate certain wildlife from our property in accordance with state regulations.”
However, this is likely not exactly the case with alligators.
Staying at The Most Magical Place on Earth can lead to a bad end for these reptiles.
Alligators captured on Disney property go to alligator farms and private hunting preserves, which doesn’t sound all that bad, except they will be killed and eaten.
ClickOrlando quoted Ian Hall, the owner of Florida Hunting, Fishing & Outdoor Adventures, as saying,
“We received them all alive, and they are released on our hunting preserve where our clients can hunt them. Then they are processed for eating.”
I guess here they get to at least have limited freedom until they are picked off.
Obviously, they are dangerous and can’t be left in the Walt Disney World Resort, but I always assumed they were relocated and left to go live their gator lives.
So, if anyone else was wondering what happens to them, now you know.