Gator at Disney

[Sapper PE LS]

I just get defensive I guess because I hate to think about these parents who really are doing nothing worse than anybody else and suffer a terrible tragedy but also have the ridiculous burden of having to deal with judgement and hurtful comments from the court of public opinion.  I could not imagine the anguish these parents are going through.  To think there are folks out there who are saying they are bad parents because they are the victims of a tragic sequence of events just doesn't sit well with me.  If something horrific happens and the parent is not hovering over the child, then it's the parents fault.  But if the parent hovers 100% of the time then the parent is a helicopter parent who needs to let the kids make their own decisions.  I mean, people can't win these days.

 

[Road Guy]

Fail

 

[knight1fox3]

Where's @Ken PE 3.0?  He hates Tapatalk.

Agree with most of the sentiments here. Now that I have the full story, I don't feel it's any fault of the parents (or the park really, but still on their "corporate" watch).  The whole thing just sucks all around and I hope they can eventually get past this traumatic event.  Having said that, being a mid-westerner (or as RG often says, "Yankee"), as kids on hot days we'd wander into any body of water with public access to cool off.  However, my first trip to FL as a senior in HS, having known what kind of area of the US we'd be in, I was terrified to go near ANY body of water or swamp type area (posted or not).  We even steered clear of road culverts, LOL.  But that is a distinct difference in perception I guess. 

 

[NJmike PE]

 

Agree with most of the sentiments here. Now that I have the full story, I don't feel it's any fault of the parents (or the park really, but still on their "corporate" watch).  The whole thing just sucks all around and I hope they can eventually get past this traumatic event.  Having said that, being a mid-westerner (or as RG often says, "Yankee"), as kids on hot days we'd wander into any body of water with public access to cool off.  However, my first trip to FL as a senior in HS, having known what kind of area of the US we'd be in, I was terrified to go near ANY body of water or swamp type area (posted or not).  We even steered clear of road culverts, LOL.  But that is a distinct difference in perception I guess. 

fixt

 

[Sapper PE LS]

I grew up swimming in lakes in central Florida.  Hell, I even would see gators on the far banks of some of the lakes I swam in.  I was never really concerned because I knew that gators don't typically attack humans (especially not teenager sized humans), to stay out of the murky water, only swim where it was clear, and don't get near any nesting areas.  People are in the water in Florida all the time, millions of people in the water probably a day in Florida in the summer time.  Rarely do you hear of a gator attack.  So, there is no reason why the parents or anybody would have been on alert for gators.  Anyway, I'm done thinking about this.  Yesterday, after I heard this news, I picked up my 2 year old boy and just held him for like 10 minutes.  I felt sad just thinking about it.  So horrible.

 

[knight1fox3]

I hear ya.  My 2.5 year old runs to me with a smile every day I pick him up from daycare.  Not sure what I would do if I couldn't do that anymore.

 

[MA_PE]

I only speak to my experiences.  I know lots of people who let their kids stay up quite late.  To each his own. 

News stories on this incident have reported it was dark when the boy got attacked and that would've contributed to both the stalking of the gator to start with as well as making it more difficult to notice the animal approaching.

And I don't fault anyone in this incident, just a tragic and awful thing.

 

[Road Guy]

You can absolutely blame the parents in both scenarios, if I take my kid somewhere and he dies it's my fault because I took him.

When your kid is 2 it's your job to helicopter parent, not when they're 13

 

[MetsFan]

^^

 

 

[NJmike PE]

 

[envirotex]

Disney will pay up in court...

This will never see a court room.  Disney will make this go away.

 

[SE_FL]

My buddy just got his permits for this years gator hunt (in September). But he wouldn't waste a permit on anything less than a twelve footer. The most common ones you see in these properties are babies (under 7') that get chased out of their home by larger guys during mating season, which just ended. The hunting permits are very limited and only good for a particular lake/swamp area, so only trappers will be allowed on Disney property and only with a nuisance permit from the state. With how many we see on a daily basis I don't really see why the alligator hunts are so restrictive.

 

[DuckFlats]

My buddy just got his permits for this years gator hunt (in September). But he wouldn't waste a permit on anything less than a twelve footer. The most common ones you see in these properties are babies (under 7') that get chased out of their home by larger guys during mating season, which just ended. The hunting permits are very limited and only good for a particular lake/swamp area, so only trappers will be allowed on Disney property and only with a nuisance permit from the state. With how many we see on a daily basis I don't really see why the alligator hunts are so restrictive.

Nice! I'm in the middle of a boat rebuild to put my new longtail motor on and didn't apply. The motor was a gift from my wife for passing the PE!

 

[Road Guy]

I don't really see why the alligator hunts are so restrictive.

especially after that odd bear hunt last year? What was the local story on that?  Someone at F&W suddenly say there were too many bears?

 

[DuckFlats]

I don't really see why the alligator hunts are so restrictive.
especially after that odd bear hunt last year? What was the local story on that?  Someone at F&W suddenly say there were too many bears?

They aren't that restrictive. It's based on counts. But it's a pretty expensive process between tags and equipment.

The bear hunt got attention because people are dumb and think their teddy bear was getting hunted. It was based on years of research and population counts. Once they determine roughly how many bears are in a given area. They determine how much space is needed and available. The management efforts brought the bears from around ~300 I think to well over 4000. They were very conservative in the initial estimates. There is a bear management plan on FWCs website that had last year +\- a few years as the date when population control would be needed again.

 

[hjg7715]

I find it interesting people reactions to this story versus the Gorilla story from a few weeks ago..

Yeah, there seemed to be very different narratives, and naturally part of the reason is because one of the incidents ended a lot more tragically. However, the blame and reaction to the parents seemed quite different. And I think it's perfectly okay to discuss the parents' roles in both incidents and still be compassionate and sympathetic towards them because my heart truly hurts for the parents in this latest incident. Hopefully something comes from both incidents so that these types of incidents are minimized.

 

[Road Guy]

Maybe I'll get to go mtn lion hunting while I am here... Animals be tying to eat everyone!

5-year-old boy attacked by mountain lion

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/mom-fights-off-mountain-lion-that-attacked-5-year-old-boy-in-pitkin-county

Yet almost every trail has signs that say mtn lions in he area, so many that you tend to not see them anymore....

 

[MA_PE]

I tawt I saw a puddy tat!

 

[knight1fox3]

Speaking of attacks of this nature, saw this on the news last night:  http://www.9news.com/news/local/child-attacked-by-mountain-lion-in-pitkin-county/248018831

PITKIN COUNTY, COLO. - A 5-year-old boy was attacked by a mountain lion at around 8 p.m. Friday.

The attack happened in the family's yard at their home near Lower River Road in the community of Lower Woody Creek about 10 miles northwest of Aspen.

The boy suffered injuries to his head, neck and face, according to the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office.

 

[Road Guy]

youre 3 days late....