Another alligator attack

Valigator · #1 03-16-2005, 09:44 AM

LAKELAND -- A man found dead in a Lakeland pond was the victim of an 8-foot, 9-inch alligator that was captured and killed, the medical examiner's office said Tuesday.

Officials did not know what Don Owen, 56, a truck driver from Bartow, was doing at the Southern Lakeland pond about a dozen miles from his home. He had been missing since last week.

On Wednesday, appearing disoriented, he asked a passer-by if he could make a phone call. As the man made the call Owen got back in his car and drove away, said his brother Rev. Eddie Owen.

Later that night he was seen at a convenience store.

On Thursday he was reported missing when he did not show up for work. On Saturday the remains of his body were found by several men fishing in Six Pound Pond.

An autopsy determined that Owen was killed by an alligator, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said.

Trappers caught the alligator on Monday. Owen's forearm was found in its stomach.

Local residents said they had fed the alligator, which is illegal and extremely dangerous, said Gary Morse, spokesman for the wildlife commission.

Alligators normally fear humans and flee from them unless threatened or cornered, but alligators that have been fed by humans begin to look at humans as a food source, Morse said.

Since 1948, 330 alligator attacks have been documented by the commission. Sixteen have been fatal, including Owen's.

From todays Sun-Sentinel

Nulle · #2 03-16-2005, 12:22 PM

Wonder if they have a job for me down there lol

Cal Sibley · #3 03-19-2005, 10:22 AM

I lived in Florida as a teenager, many years ago. My parents bought a house in Lake Worth and one of my first mornings there I went out to fetch the newspaper and came face to face with friend gator, about 6 feet long. He sure as hell wasn't shy. Later we found out the previous owners had been putting food out for it. I guess he lived in the nearby canal. I wish to hell people wouldn't feed these critters. I don't find them at all cute. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Valigator · #4 03-19-2005, 11:15 AM

Its been known for years not to feed these beast...in fact its illegal...they are aggressive enough as it is, you put food out and it only conditions them......we've got yahoos down here who think its cool to feed them......then an unsuspecting person gets the repercussions.......then the state makes it impossible each year to thin them out as much as they need to be....it use to be I could catch 5 on my permits and the state in their infinite wisdom cut it down to two for the same amount of money.....putz's they are as thick as rats now.....wish the state went after sex offenders as much as they do suspected poachers of alligators.....

carl · #5 03-19-2005, 01:11 PM

I got an idea.How about we lock gators up with the sex affenders.
The deer population is too high in some areas here in Ohio.Every time they try to get it thinned out some group[peta, etc] crys about how inhumane it is kill them and they should be relocated or sterilized. I've tried to understand their reasoning but just can't.

Valigator · #6 03-19-2005, 06:17 PM

There are some things in this world you cant reason out...things are pretty much black and white with me.....this is a very dark day for me......I am overloaded with hate.....and revenge....I make no apologies for it...

Nulle · #7 03-20-2005, 09:20 AM

I got a call late last night from a gal that got bit real good by her python

Valigator · #8 03-20-2005, 10:02 AM

and........what happened?

Nulle · #9 03-21-2005, 07:34 AM

Well as these things don't carry rabies that problem is gone but they do carry many other harmful things.
Pictures were taken, reports done, and snake is in issolation.

Valigator · #10 03-21-2005, 07:09 PM

Darlin not much has more bacteria on it than a gator, other than what are those lizards down on that island have...you know which ones I'm thinkin of...anyway ...I havent got much as a yeast infection from one of those bad boys

as of yet...I do believe I can handle a snake.....told you the story about my son wantin a ball python...I go down buy all the stuff for it...starts at mice and graduates at two rats every two weeks...I got bored watchin him eat in the terrarrium...no big deal...so I threw his butt in the pool and then threw the rat in...well they both automatically swim to the edge...and then they meet....dadadada...so cool..snake grabs that rat, wrestles him down to the bottom of the pool eats him and swims back up like nothin happened....he was down I counted about 8 minutes....hey it takes alot for me......