Ranch seeks gator permit

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Lakewood Ranch won’t adopt a new policy on handling nuisance gators, but it will take a bite against unnecessary trapping.

Following meetings last week, supervisors of Lakewood Ranch community development districts agreed CDD staff should apply for a targeted harvest area permit through Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

If received, the permit will allow the districts to directly oversee contact with alligator trappers. Currently, the FWC receives a nuisance alligator call, dispatches trappers and then Town Hall’s Operations Department OKs trappers to come on the property.

The new permit, though, would allow operations staff to contact the trappers directly and could restrict which trappers come onto district property, if it so chooses.

“This allows us to build a relationship with a few trappers we trust,” Operations Director Ryan Heise said. “What we are trying to do is eliminate trappers who are poaching. This allows us to track better who’s out there (on our property) and why they are out there.”

Town Hall staff will continue to OK the removal of alligators at residents’ requests. Staff will continue educating resident sthat gators are trapped and killed, not relocated, to ensure the residents wish to move forward.

Town Hall Executive Director Eva Rey noted trappers receive one permit to remove one gator, but there is no guarantee the trapper will remove the gator against which a resident complained. For example, if a resident seeks removal of a 10-foot gator, the trapper can trap and kill an 8-foot gator. More than likely, the trapper will be called out again for the 10-foot gator.

Trappers have been known to take more than one gator at a time.

“We’re not indicating that any particular trapper is abusing the system, but this permit will give us more monitoring capabilities, preventing abuse,” Rey said.

Although the targeted harvest area permit would allow the CDDs to limit access — for example, they could specify that alligators seen in a lake or alligators less than 8 feet long will not be removed — Rey said the districts will keep their existing policy to remove an alligator, even if it’s not showing immediate aggression, if a resident demands it.

“We’d take a conservative approach,” Rey said. “Staff still would not evaluate the temperament of the alligator nor deny any requests for removal. There’s no change in procedure.”

CDD 4 Supervisor and Greenbrook resident Stacy White agrees with the policy even though her lab, Kenny, was attacked by a gator last year. Kenny wandered to the lake bank while White’s husband played ball with their other lab, Cooper. The gator snapped at the 105-pound dog, which needed stitches.

“Having gators is part of living in Florida,” White said. “There’s always one in (our pond); you know you have to respect them.”

Rey said there is a mix of homeowners on the Ranch — some believe alligators should be protected as Florida’s native wildlife, while others want all alligators removed from lakes

“What we hope to achieve with this initiative is a balance between environmental conservation and the safety of homeowners and their pets or property,” she said.

Rey said Town Hall hopes to send the permit application to FWC by the end of the month, If the application is approved, Town Hall will then add in the specific restrictions.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].

Target it
The Targeted Harvest Area Permit is a five-year permit issued to private property owners and public land managers by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.

It allows the property owner or manager greater control to address nuisance alligator management by setting guidelines and limitations on the trapping and removal of nuisance alligators including, but not limited to:

• size of alligator

• quantity

• location

• length of time permit remains open

• personnel authorized to approve removal

• which trappers are allowed to remove gators

Courtesy of Tracie Hunt, IDA