Alligators
Alligators, after nearing extinction due to commercial exploitation, are once again common in Florida. They are rarely known to bother people, but don't push your luck.
- Don't swim near alligators, and especially
- Don't let young children play or swim near alligators.
- And don't feed them.
They might not be too particular about where the food stops and your hand begins.
Some people will tell you that alligators are harmless. Try telling that to my neighbor, who at age 11 was the victim of an unprovoked attack by a 9-foot alligator while swimming. He required more than 300 stitches and was lucky to survive.
Like the grizzlies of Yellowstone, Florida's alligators are immensely powerful and irremediably wild.
Enjoy them from a safe distance.