re: [Paddlewise] gators

 On 2/6/98 09:35AM, BRAD_at_mth.pdx.edu wrote:

>     Has anyone ever been attacked by an alligator while paddling?

 On 2/6/98 12:06PM, gulfstream_at_flinet.com wrote:

>After many subsequent hours of paddling amongst the gators I have 
>found them to be timid and will usually dissapear as I approach.

Exactly...gator attacks are very rare and ALL documented attacks have 
occurred while the victims were thrashing around in the water.  There is 
an excellent page entitled "Why Do Alligators Attack People" at this 
location:

http://www.libra-mmsystemh.demon.nl/Html/pg_why.htm

At this page, you can see statistics for gator attacks going back to 
1948.  Just don't go swimming in the swamp (who would want to?) and 
you'll be okay.  Gators will give you a wide berth if you do the same for 
them.  

Alligators are hunted by trolling a whole chicken (on a BIG hook with a 
BIG wire leader) behind a boat (NOT A KAYAK!!!).  When a hungry gator 
grabs the chicken and dives, the hunters haul him to the surface, then 
shoot him.  In Texas, we only have a one-week gator season and Lousisana 
is not much longer as I remember.   The poor gator was almost hunted to 
extinction in the '60s and '70's due to a fashion of alligator skin 
purses, shoes etc. (BUFFALO-TONGUE MENTALITY).  The hook is used to keep 
from losing the gator after he is shot. The key point here is that you 
have to actively fish for them because they tend to disappear when humans 
approach.  

As Bob noted, they are very timid, yet magnificent creatures and I am 
always very thrilled when I have the luck of seeing one.  Last spring (of 
'97), I sat for a couple of hours about 75 yards offshore on the San 
Jacinto river (in the Sam Houston National Forest here in Texas) in my 
red hydra sea runner kayak and watched a big gator build her nest.  I 
stayed very quiet and didn't threaten her in any way and she ignored me 
the whole time. 

Our southern swamps and marshlands are just like any other wilderness 
area, they are safe as long as you take care.  I've lived here most of my 
life and I'm more worried about spraining an ankle while backpacking in 
the mountains than being attacked by a giant man-eating gator.

Don't let paranoia from Hollywood keep you from experiencing what I 
believe to be one of the most diversely rich ecosystems on our planet.   

Any of you GASP paddlers have comments on this issue?

-------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Neil Harrison-Houston, Texas
          email: nil_at_nol.net   (_at_ _at_)  web: www.nol.net/~nil/   
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