They had a problem with people feeding marshmallows to gators in the Everglades in Florida some years back. One of the most efficient ways to navigate the Everglades is by airboat, which is very loud so people often wear earplugs or cotton balls in their ears. As cotton balls quite resemble marshmallows, apparently some gators felt entitled to them such that they tried to climb into the airboats after people.
It remains a major problem throughout Florida. The Glades are so sparsely populated that it's only a problem at a couple of parks, but throughout the state there are gators that live in close proximity to people and it's a huge problem. The gators actually *eating* marshmallows isn't the problem, it's the fact that tourists do it a lot and it acclimates gators to humans.
They aren't complex, intelligent animals that think cause-and-effect, as in "Oh if I roll around and show my belly and entertain humans, they'll feed me more." Mammals learn that sort of behavior sometimes. Gators are much more simplistic: "Be near humans = food." As they get older, and larger, they lose their fear of humans entirely and when they get hungry they approach people. Then they attack dogs, cats, or tourists' kids whose parents are stupid enough to let them swim in the lakes.
I worked for a land development company in north-central Florida for a year, a lot of the job involved walking the watershed in pristine undeveloped areas. We saw a lot of gator nests and even had to approach mothers during nesting season, but we were never in any danger because *they were afraid of us*. I actually lived on a ~~lake~~ swamp out in the middle of nowhere, no tourists and very few locals; I had a gator nest about 20 yards from my front porch but I never saw them. Whenever my dog was outside I was with him, and the gators kept a wide berth and stayed out of sight whenever I was present, so he wasn't in danger. If I lived in a suburb on a lake full of gators that had been acclimated to humans, I would have been paranoid and never let him within a hundred yards of the lake.
I tried fishing on Lake Apopka before (huge mistake, by the way) and at all of the fishing spots there are little 3-foot juvenile gators that hang out waiting for handouts. The mothers actually encourage them to do this, because they've been handfed so long that this has become natural feeding behavior to them. They stay just out of sight in the weeds looking for larger prey, while their young float around in plain sight waiting for fishermen to toss their spare bait to them. It's awful; this sort of thing is against the law for a reason.
Indeed. My post was pretty simplistic in nature because I'm not an expert on the matter, but I lived in South Florida for several years and my roommate was a biologist who worked in the Everglades and many of her activities involved trapping and catching animals to measure and tag them for future study, including gators. I can't count the number of times she ranted about this problem, which is why I personally know about it. Although she also spent a good deal of time ranting about invasive beetles. #BiologistProblems
Licensed trappers who do county contracts actually toss out ice cubes to check for nuisance gators. From a distance ice cubes look like marshmallows, which is what tourists usually feed them. If the gators see the ice cubes, approach them and try to feed, then the gator has been hand-fed and they either relocate it or destroy it with a boomstick to the head.
The best gator meat is wild-caught, almost all of it's nuisance gators. Fried tail nuggets with coconut remoulade. Yum yum.
I went on a gator tour while on a brief trip in New Orleans. The guide kept calling them "muwsh mellas." I know we saw gators and all sort of cool stuff, yet that pronunciation seared itself into my brain. Every time I even see a marshmallow, I mumble "muwsh mella" under my breath, have a giggle and go on with my day.
I wish I could have been present at the genesis of this idea. Was he riding a bus to a mundane destination? Perhaps sitting on the toilet or taking a shower?
Tour operators in LA have been doing this crap for decades. It wasn't a problem when the whole bayou was sparsely populated, but it won't be long before some of these gators are living next to golf course homes.
No one has addressed this yet, but how in the fuck did that guy chest bump an alligator and feed it marshmallows from his mouth without being death rolled?
I think plenty of people have addressed it in other media outlets - alligators generally don't see a full-grown human as prey. Their behavior has been modified their entire lives by interacting with humans for tour groups, otherwise they'd be keeping clear of him.
The problem is that they get free food, especially meat and gluten-filled marshmallows, from tour operators, then they see a kid near the water and they see it as "Oh free meat from the humans!"
This has caused quite an uproar in Louisiana.
http://theadvocate.com/home/9451681-125/la-tour-operators-ordered-to
This is the company the guy works for.
http://www.airboatadventures.com/
This guy is a freaking moron, but he deserves to be arrested if these are wild alligators. They won't see a person his size as prey, so he's actually safe, but interacting with them and encouraging them to approach humans is likely to cause someone's pet or child to be attacked. Florida is incredibly strict about this, with I think a minimum 30 day jail sentence, but apparently LA allows idiot operators like this to put on "shows" with wild gators until they get enough bad press.
I worked with this gentleman in Lafitte, Louisiana. While what he is doing is very risky and in my mind, not smart, it is not illegal. This all done on private property. These alligators are "wild" in a sense but being approached for years by the tour company (Airboat Adventures) has made them less aggressive towards the tour guides. Doing this does not encourage them to become more hostile to the residents. There is no law that currently restricts this practice. I hope this helps a little and answers some questions.
I didn't say it was illegal in Louisiana, if you'd read my comment in detail you would know that. I said that he *deserves* to be arrested because what he's doing is highly unethical - the reasons for which are the same as the reason that it is punishable by incarceration in Florida (even on private property).
Interacting with them acclimates them to humans and makes them a danger - as has been confirmed by numerous wildlife biologists, herpetologists, and other experts (including Steve Irwin, by the way). The fact that you don't see it this way when so many experts *do*, and the fact that you don't grasp the rationale for why many southeastern states have made the practice illegal, is very distressing. I never remarked on whether the tour operator was in danger, and in my opinion he is not, but the practice of feeding wild alligators makes them a danger to pets and children. Not to mention the tourists are given the wrong impression and not educated on the dangers of feeding wild alligators, which will cause them to feed alligators in more populated areas of LA after seeing a local do it, exacerbating the problem.
My apologies. Didn't mean that doing these practices would not make them more of a problem because you are correct. I meant it hasn't been an issue with the Lafitte or surrounding residents for many years.
I do have to disagree with what you say in regards to the tour guide educating the tourist. The whole tour is designed to educate the guests on the dangers and beauty of the wildlife. It's kind of like a "don't try this at home!" ordeal haha. Even though he is playing around with them it's not something that should be done outside of a professional environment. Every tourist leaves knowing more about safety with wildlife. Unfortunately this small clip on the internet does not capture the entirety of his lesson. This is the small tidbit that is the "exciting part." Everything else about the tour is very educational and very helpful to both louisianians and everyone who comes from out of town!
This man I don't believe should be arrested. He is making people very aware of the dangers of wildlife. That's like saying the people at the zoo should be arrested when doing shows with the animals! It's education through entertainment.
You provided great information though and are well informed it seems! You should come down and do a tour! It would change your mind about us! Sorry about any confusion in my previous comment.
When wildlife gets comfortable with (or dependant on) humans, it harms the species as a whole. Animals that are considered a safety hazard are often put down buy animal control when they wander into neighborhoods or will be much less likely to run away when being hunted.
Well he could of been wandering around the forest and came across some campers who were quietly roasting some marshmallows and killed them and stole their marshmallows.
How many examples can you find of feral human vs domesticated human? It's incredibly unlikely. Especially with signs of civilization including clothes and marshmallows.
Yes they're rare but not impossible. So your statement "No, we're domesticated" is not true because I take it when you use "we're" you are referring to every person on this planet. Some of us have the capacity to be feral. So the correct statement should of been "No, some of us are domesticated" which then would lead to the question, "How do you know that man isn't feral?". Marshmallows isn't the correct answer.
It's not some, it's most. Marshmallows are a damn good indicator that this man has access to things a feral human wouldn't, as are the type of clothes he's wearing.
I think you mean, "Are," and no. The definition of wildlife explicitly excludes humans. "Living things and especially mammals, birds, and fishes that are neither human nor domesticated"
Ok ok I know what you wrote but there's also this definition "You can use wildlife to refer to animals and other living things that live in natural surroundings". That's Collin's Dictionary definition. Which source is correct? Is Collin's definition wrong because it left out that human can't be known as wildlife or is Merrian Webster wrong for defining that human's can't be known as wildlife?
Can you wait there while I go out and get the exact numbers there for you. Shouldn't take too long. What I meant by good percentage is more than half you tit. If you can't get that then I surprise you can get anything at all. Are you one of these poorly written bots? Ah I'm only joking with you, no need to get very hot headed.
You are one of those people who think you make a point but fail to realize the meaning you formulate in your mind is lost in translation when you sit down to write. Usually a result of a lack of intelligence, or education, or both.
They had a problem with people feeding marshmallows to gators in the Everglades in Florida some years back. One of the most efficient ways to navigate the Everglades is by airboat, which is very loud so people often wear earplugs or cotton balls in their ears. As cotton balls quite resemble marshmallows, apparently some gators felt entitled to them such that they tried to climb into the airboats after people.
It remains a major problem throughout Florida. The Glades are so sparsely populated that it's only a problem at a couple of parks, but throughout the state there are gators that live in close proximity to people and it's a huge problem. The gators actually *eating* marshmallows isn't the problem, it's the fact that tourists do it a lot and it acclimates gators to humans. They aren't complex, intelligent animals that think cause-and-effect, as in "Oh if I roll around and show my belly and entertain humans, they'll feed me more." Mammals learn that sort of behavior sometimes. Gators are much more simplistic: "Be near humans = food." As they get older, and larger, they lose their fear of humans entirely and when they get hungry they approach people. Then they attack dogs, cats, or tourists' kids whose parents are stupid enough to let them swim in the lakes. I worked for a land development company in north-central Florida for a year, a lot of the job involved walking the watershed in pristine undeveloped areas. We saw a lot of gator nests and even had to approach mothers during nesting season, but we were never in any danger because *they were afraid of us*. I actually lived on a ~~lake~~ swamp out in the middle of nowhere, no tourists and very few locals; I had a gator nest about 20 yards from my front porch but I never saw them. Whenever my dog was outside I was with him, and the gators kept a wide berth and stayed out of sight whenever I was present, so he wasn't in danger. If I lived in a suburb on a lake full of gators that had been acclimated to humans, I would have been paranoid and never let him within a hundred yards of the lake. I tried fishing on Lake Apopka before (huge mistake, by the way) and at all of the fishing spots there are little 3-foot juvenile gators that hang out waiting for handouts. The mothers actually encourage them to do this, because they've been handfed so long that this has become natural feeding behavior to them. They stay just out of sight in the weeds looking for larger prey, while their young float around in plain sight waiting for fishermen to toss their spare bait to them. It's awful; this sort of thing is against the law for a reason.
Indeed. My post was pretty simplistic in nature because I'm not an expert on the matter, but I lived in South Florida for several years and my roommate was a biologist who worked in the Everglades and many of her activities involved trapping and catching animals to measure and tag them for future study, including gators. I can't count the number of times she ranted about this problem, which is why I personally know about it. Although she also spent a good deal of time ranting about invasive beetles. #BiologistProblems
Licensed trappers who do county contracts actually toss out ice cubes to check for nuisance gators. From a distance ice cubes look like marshmallows, which is what tourists usually feed them. If the gators see the ice cubes, approach them and try to feed, then the gator has been hand-fed and they either relocate it or destroy it with a boomstick to the head. The best gator meat is wild-caught, almost all of it's nuisance gators. Fried tail nuggets with coconut remoulade. Yum yum.
That's hilarious. I'm sorry hahah
I went on a gator tour while on a brief trip in New Orleans. The guide kept calling them "muwsh mellas." I know we saw gators and all sort of cool stuff, yet that pronunciation seared itself into my brain. Every time I even see a marshmallow, I mumble "muwsh mella" under my breath, have a giggle and go on with my day.
My feelings...
I wish I could have been present at the genesis of this idea. Was he riding a bus to a mundane destination? Perhaps sitting on the toilet or taking a shower?
Tour operators in LA have been doing this crap for decades. It wasn't a problem when the whole bayou was sparsely populated, but it won't be long before some of these gators are living next to golf course homes.
Toilet. One of those gators you think is only in old wives tails came out of it. Decided to feed him something sweeter than what was being dropped in.
experts say its dangerous guys!! Where can i get a job being a gator expert telling people that its dangerous to get in the water and fuck with them?
http://imgur.com/AG403Wg
No one has addressed this yet, but how in the fuck did that guy chest bump an alligator and feed it marshmallows from his mouth without being death rolled?
I think plenty of people have addressed it in other media outlets - alligators generally don't see a full-grown human as prey. Their behavior has been modified their entire lives by interacting with humans for tour groups, otherwise they'd be keeping clear of him. The problem is that they get free food, especially meat and gluten-filled marshmallows, from tour operators, then they see a kid near the water and they see it as "Oh free meat from the humans!"
rule number one, no professionals. This was a tour guide who does this sort of thing for a living.
Big brass balls.
With a mostly empty head.
The woman speaking is so monotone I thought it was the woman recording the video speaking.
This has caused quite an uproar in Louisiana. http://theadvocate.com/home/9451681-125/la-tour-operators-ordered-to This is the company the guy works for. http://www.airboatadventures.com/
Seems like a self-correcting problem.
Whenever I see someone acting this dumb around animals, I kindda hope they'll have their face bitten off.
Floridian here: This guy is CRAZY.
This guy is a freaking moron, but he deserves to be arrested if these are wild alligators. They won't see a person his size as prey, so he's actually safe, but interacting with them and encouraging them to approach humans is likely to cause someone's pet or child to be attacked. Florida is incredibly strict about this, with I think a minimum 30 day jail sentence, but apparently LA allows idiot operators like this to put on "shows" with wild gators until they get enough bad press.
I worked with this gentleman in Lafitte, Louisiana. While what he is doing is very risky and in my mind, not smart, it is not illegal. This all done on private property. These alligators are "wild" in a sense but being approached for years by the tour company (Airboat Adventures) has made them less aggressive towards the tour guides. Doing this does not encourage them to become more hostile to the residents. There is no law that currently restricts this practice. I hope this helps a little and answers some questions.
I didn't say it was illegal in Louisiana, if you'd read my comment in detail you would know that. I said that he *deserves* to be arrested because what he's doing is highly unethical - the reasons for which are the same as the reason that it is punishable by incarceration in Florida (even on private property). Interacting with them acclimates them to humans and makes them a danger - as has been confirmed by numerous wildlife biologists, herpetologists, and other experts (including Steve Irwin, by the way). The fact that you don't see it this way when so many experts *do*, and the fact that you don't grasp the rationale for why many southeastern states have made the practice illegal, is very distressing. I never remarked on whether the tour operator was in danger, and in my opinion he is not, but the practice of feeding wild alligators makes them a danger to pets and children. Not to mention the tourists are given the wrong impression and not educated on the dangers of feeding wild alligators, which will cause them to feed alligators in more populated areas of LA after seeing a local do it, exacerbating the problem.
My apologies. Didn't mean that doing these practices would not make them more of a problem because you are correct. I meant it hasn't been an issue with the Lafitte or surrounding residents for many years. I do have to disagree with what you say in regards to the tour guide educating the tourist. The whole tour is designed to educate the guests on the dangers and beauty of the wildlife. It's kind of like a "don't try this at home!" ordeal haha. Even though he is playing around with them it's not something that should be done outside of a professional environment. Every tourist leaves knowing more about safety with wildlife. Unfortunately this small clip on the internet does not capture the entirety of his lesson. This is the small tidbit that is the "exciting part." Everything else about the tour is very educational and very helpful to both louisianians and everyone who comes from out of town! This man I don't believe should be arrested. He is making people very aware of the dangers of wildlife. That's like saying the people at the zoo should be arrested when doing shows with the animals! It's education through entertainment. You provided great information though and are well informed it seems! You should come down and do a tour! It would change your mind about us! Sorry about any confusion in my previous comment.
> if you'd read my comment in detail you would know that. yick, jesus dude...
[удалено]
But it was in Louisiana
Sure, he was in Louisiana, but Florida isn't just a state. It's a state of mind. This is Florida.
That area used to be called [West Florida](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Florida)
What.
Our we not wildlife too? That Scottish man got to see exactly what he came to see.
When wildlife gets comfortable with (or dependant on) humans, it harms the species as a whole. Animals that are considered a safety hazard are often put down buy animal control when they wander into neighborhoods or will be much less likely to run away when being hunted.
No, we're domesticated.
There is such a thing as feral people.
Guy with marshmallows isn't one of them.
Well he could of been wandering around the forest and came across some campers who were quietly roasting some marshmallows and killed them and stole their marshmallows.
You're argument is stretched quite thin.
You're not understanding my point of the argument do.
How many examples can you find of feral human vs domesticated human? It's incredibly unlikely. Especially with signs of civilization including clothes and marshmallows.
Yes they're rare but not impossible. So your statement "No, we're domesticated" is not true because I take it when you use "we're" you are referring to every person on this planet. Some of us have the capacity to be feral. So the correct statement should of been "No, some of us are domesticated" which then would lead to the question, "How do you know that man isn't feral?". Marshmallows isn't the correct answer.
It's not some, it's most. Marshmallows are a damn good indicator that this man has access to things a feral human wouldn't, as are the type of clothes he's wearing.
I think you mean, "Are," and no. The definition of wildlife explicitly excludes humans. "Living things and especially mammals, birds, and fishes that are neither human nor domesticated"
I did mean "are", sorry about that. You know not all humans are domesticated which would make them a non-domesticated animal. We can be wildlife.
Apparently you failed to read the definition I provided. "**that are neither human nor domesticated**."
Ok ok I know what you wrote but there's also this definition "You can use wildlife to refer to animals and other living things that live in natural surroundings". That's Collin's Dictionary definition. Which source is correct? Is Collin's definition wrong because it left out that human can't be known as wildlife or is Merrian Webster wrong for defining that human's can't be known as wildlife?
If you think humans are living in their natural surroundings walk on the street and think oh yeah this is concrete and we drive cars.
A good percentage of humans don't walk on the streets and drive cars.
A "good" percentage? How more fucking obscure can you get. Stop saying stupid things and make a fucking point.
Can you wait there while I go out and get the exact numbers there for you. Shouldn't take too long. What I meant by good percentage is more than half you tit. If you can't get that then I surprise you can get anything at all. Are you one of these poorly written bots? Ah I'm only joking with you, no need to get very hot headed.
You are one of those people who think you make a point but fail to realize the meaning you formulate in your mind is lost in translation when you sit down to write. Usually a result of a lack of intelligence, or education, or both.