A state agency gives tips — with visual aids — on sharing Florida with crocodiles
Other states warn you about wildlife you might encounter when you leave civilization and go camping. Florida needs to warn you about wildlife you might run into while walking down the sidewalk in a place that used to be a large reptile’s living room.
Thus, we get Wednesday morning’s Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s “advice about coexisting with crocodiles,” information in video and word designed to keep people and crocs happy and in possession of all extremities should they cross paths.
▪ Crococodiles often hang out with their mouths open. Not to be ever ready for food, but to control their body temperature. So, this isn’t about you. Still, give them a wide berth.
▪ Put a leash on that pet and keep them out of the water. It’s not a shot at the looks of little Chi-Chi or Cosmo to say the croc might mistake them for their natural food.
▪ Speaking of food, don’t feed them. It’s illegal. Also, the last thing you and everybody else needs — well, maybe not the last thing, but it could wind up being the last thing — is for the croc to start associating the local bipeds with food.
▪ Swim only in places designed for swimming. And do it when the sun is high. FWC says the same thing about the crocs that Whodini said about ah, free-spirited individuals — they come out at night. Dusk to dawn, the croc party is on.
▪ When you throw away fish scraps, don’t just toss them back into the water. That draws crocodiles. In fact, don’t feed the other animals sharing water with the crocs because that can get them moseying this way, too.
▪ If you’re worried about a crocodile or see one that needs to be relocated for everyone’s happiness, call an FWC crocodile response agent at 866-392-4286 (866-FWC-GATOR).
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