New Gator!

I pulled up to pick up some supper @ an old familiar Gator Haunt that has been vacant since last summer. I don't even get out to look anymore because it took a year for Scrappy to move in after my Fatback Gator lost his life. I have it on good authority that my precious hissy tripod got so stressed during his capture that it caused his demise. And maybe that was a blessing in disguise for my old boy as relocation probably wouldn't have worked well for Fatback with his disability. Having to learn a new territory and avoiding larger resident gators would have definitely been challenging for him. Relocation is not a great vacation for Nuisance Alligators. It wasn't long after Scrappy moved in that he was also taken away. These previous 2 tenants were removed by NCWRC as Nuisance Alligators because guess why?? People were feeding them. That old adage of “A fed Gator is a Dead Gator” holds so true. I will keep repeating my Mantra DON'T FEED ALLIGATORS as long as I live and breathe. It habituates them to humans and causes them to lose their natural fears and then they associate humans with food. Not a good combination for anyone involved. Ok. Rant over for now and back to my story...

I actually thought my eyes were playing tricks on me when my brain registered a familiar arrow shaped head above the water's surface just beyond the bulkhead. Laughing, I hopped out of the truck, camera ready, already talking to my new friend. It had a surreal appearance with its dark hide contrasting to the baked on yellow pollen. It neither retreated nor approached as I walked up. A non-habitated Alligator would have quickly submerged and beat a hasty retreat with its legs tucked by its side and powerful tail sinuously propelling it forward only to resurface a considerable distance away to swing around and keep a wary side eye on me. No such case here so this one I am confident will be removed as well. In the meantime, I will visit and photograph this beautiful specimen and teach the workers in the establishment the hows of cohabitation with this remarkable creature. I will ask them to advocate for this modern day Dinosaur and repeat my Mantra in the hopes that even one will listen…

I have dubbed this critter Bumble because of the checkered black and yellow that reminded me of a bumble bee. Hours of basking in the warm spring sun has seemingly fire kilned the lighter hues into the normally dark hide that even water hasn't been able to wash off. Sound familiar? Just like on my truck, this ubiquitous sulfur colored dust will need a good scrubbing or torrential downpour to remove!

New Alligator Overload...

Bumble has the most beautiful soft amber eyes. As you already know I am totally obsessed with Alligator eyes...

Till Later My Bumble Gator -
I can only hope against hope that the ignorance of my species doesn't endanger your survival in your newly chosen habitat.