According to News 6, state wildlife records show that “state-contracted wildlife trapper(s)” have captured more than twice as many alligators on Walt Disney World property since the June 2016 attack at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, as compared to the 15-month period prior to the attack. The total number of captured alligators has increased from 45 to 95, during those two 15-month intervals.
On June 14, 2016, 2-year-old Lane Thomas Graves passed away when an alligator pulled him into the water from the shores of Seven Seas Lagoon outside of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
There is a maximum number of alligators that can legally be taken out of the water which is imposed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, but since the June 2016 attack, that number has been increased. A huge reason for the upsurge in captured alligators is the increased allowance by the state allowing Disney to take more gators out of the bodies of water on their property. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has approved Disney for a special permit that allows them to contact state-contracted wildlife trappers directly to immediately remove nuisance alligators.
A Walt Disney World spokesperson said of the increase in captured alligators,
“In keeping with our strong commitment to safety, we continue to reinforce procedures related to reporting sightings and interactions with wildlife, and work closely with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to remove or relocate certain wildlife from our property in accordance with state regulations.”
Credit: News 6
Stephen "Steve" Porter started going to the parks with his family in 1996. Since then he hasn't looked back! Steve was a cast member participating in the Disney College Program in 2013. Most recently he graduated from Penn State University!
