Too many posts I can quote, so I'm just going to put the information here, and y'all can sort out who wants to read it.
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http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/managed/alligator/faqs/
Florida has a healthy and stable alligator population. We have about 1.3 million alligators in Florida. Alligators live in all 67 counties, and they inhabit all wild areas of Florida that can support them. The removal of nuisance alligators does not have a significant impact on our state's alligator population.
Relocated alligators often try to return to their capture site. They can create problems for people or other alligators along the way. If an alligator successfully returns, capturing it again would be necessary and likely more difficult the second time.
To avoid creating a problem at the release site, nuisance alligators would need to be relocated to remote areas where they would not encounter people. These remote areas already have healthy alligator populations, and the ones that already live there have established social structures. The introduction of a new alligator to these areas would likely cause fighting, possibly resulting in the death of a resident alligator or the introduced alligator.
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http://myfwc.com/conservation/freshwater/wetland-habitat/
lorida lost more than 260,000 acres of freshwater, emergent wetlands during 1985-1996, and the rate of loss of this wetland type more than doubled as compared to the rate during the 1970's-1980's period. Wetlands, particularly freshwater emergent wetlands, are essential for waterfowl and other wildlife, yet losses continue. Since Florida became a state, total wetland area has decreased by approximately 44%.
Wetland habitat in wintering areas such as Florida is important in the overall annual cycle ofmigratory waterfowl. Habitat conditions during this non-breeding period affect waterfowl survival and reproduction in subsequent years. Ducks must maintain or improve their body condition during winter to avoid mortality during spring migration and to meet the physiological demands of the nesting season (i.e., egg laying, incubation). The FWC's waterfowl staff devotes considerable resources to monitoring and managing these migrant birds and providing quality habitat for them in Florida.
Managing wetland habitat is critical to providing the greatest quantity and highest quality of habitat possible to support Florida's waterfowl and other wetland-dependent wildlife. Without a large habitat base that includes breeding, migration, and wintering areas, waterfowl populations will decline despite any attempt to restrict sport harvest. Wetland habitat management has importance beyond its value to waterfowl by benefiting many other Florida plant and wildlife species.
The FWC provides technical assistance on wetland conservation and management issues around the state. We work with many agencies, organizations, and private landowners to cooperatively manage wetlands. Unfortunately, not all technical assistance produces a tangible increase in waterfowl habitat, but our input does cause the welfare of wetlands and waterfowl to be considered when resource management decisions are made. The FWC manages several wetland areas with a focus on providing waterfowl habitat.
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http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw230
The key to staying safe is being alert to the possibility of alligators being present.
Never feed gators or swim or wade in waters where large alligators are known or likely to occur, especially at dusk or night (when they naturally feed). It is illegal to feed alligators. When humans feed alligators, it causes the alligators to lose their natural fear of humans and to associate humans with food. It doesn't matter if people feed them human-food like marshmallows or throw them fish guts when cleaning fish, it's all bad. It changes the alligator's behavior.
Normally, alligators avoid humans, but alligators that have been fed by humans will move toward humans and can become aggressive. Alligators that have been fed by humans are dangerous and should be reported to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Its very important to
keep children and pets away from the water's edge wherever alligators are likely to be present.
Do not allow dogs to swim or explore waters that are known to have alligators because dogs look like prey to alligators. There are far more alligator attacks on dogs than on humans. An alligator's prey selection seems based mostly on size of the potential prey animal, not so much on a keen recognition of specific animals as prey or non-prey.
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https://www.reference.com/pets-animals/food-chain-american-alligator-2b07526ac7c4da5d
Fish and turtles are the most important prey for most alligators, but they are not fussy eaters. Other common prey species include snakes, frogs, toads, salamanders, birds, lizards, beavers, raccoons, nutria, rats, crustaceans, mollusks, insects and smaller alligators. Young alligators feed on smaller prey, including insects, frogs and fish. Alligators of all ages adapt to local food sources, but they are strictly carnivorous and do not eat vegetation.
Wading birds, snakes, large fish, turtles, raccoons, foxes and larger alligators hunt young alligators. As they grow, young alligators add more and larger prey to their list of acceptable food. Concurrently, alligators fear fewer predators as they grow.
Alligators are an important part of freshwater ecosystems as they help to maintain balance among the populations of small animals. Additionally, turtles and some other animals deposit their eggs in alligator nest
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And here's a (small) example of the food chain with the alligator.
http://swampplan.weebly.com/food-chain.html
Burmese Python
Alligator
Fish
Grasshopper
Grass
Sun
No alligator, more Pythons...which, BTW, can eat a full grown alligator.
Think about that....
