[at-l] Gators on the Trail

[RoksnRoots@aol.com (RoksnRoots@aol.com)]

In a message dated 12/23/01 2:25:45 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
krk@speakeasy.org writes:


> I've gotta say that one thing that has kept me away from Florida is the 
> 'gators. I just have this
> feeling that I'll walk right into one and I'll become a meal. Now I know 
> this is probably
> unrealistic but I still feel it. 

    ***   Not really, I didn't want to exploit this man's tragedy, but on 
9-11 a retired navy officer nearby was killed by an 11 foot alligator on the 
bike path I use. The 80 year-old man was walking his dog when it attracted 
the gator. While trying to save his dog the monster attacked him severing his 
leg from the knee down. He then lay down and bled to death while the beast 
took his leg out into the pond. Officers arrived and shot the 11 footer with 
leg in mouth in mid-pond. 

    My personal fear is sleeping in a hammock on a Florida path and having a 
similar gator come up and snap the tasty human burrito out of the air. This 
wouldn't happen unless you were foolish enough to set up near water. Crocks 
would be another story though. In general, gators won't attack anything 
bigger than them that they won't be able to take down. They are cold-blooded 
with a slow metabolism, so they don't waste precious energy without a good 
chance at succeeding. If you are in the water it's a different story though...



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