A good question I came acrossed..

**KrokadilyanGuy3** · #1 09-17-2004, 06:00 PM

This is a post I answered ealier on another forum and I thought it was a decently good question. I was wondering what everyone elses veiw was on this. I'll post mine after everyone else puts there info in.
By the way, this is the original Q.

23 species of crocodilian, 4 critically endangered and most others are either vulnerable or endangered. One that comes to most peoples mind is the good ol' american alligator ( alligator mississippiensis). What a come back, from near extinction to having an estimated one million plus walking the southern US. Since near extinction the laws have become tighter and tighter. Sure hundreds of people love this animal, fear this animal, and find this animal facinating and want it here to stay. But then again some dont, and at times it seems like those are the kind of people that rule out.
Alligator farming is a multi million doller industry, with some what of around 300,000 pounds of meat a year. Aswell as illegal butchering not counted. Seen it numerous times. Since this 300,000 pounds of meat is farm raised it has no affect on wild individuals. But will it lead up to it? I know here in south florida on a Sanibel Island, 6 feet and over I believe alligators have been issued to be killed. Is this true 6 feet+. Nope, who really will find out if they pop a hatchling in its head? What I am wandering is what you all think will happen to the american alligator? since there are so many are we going to slack alittle and struggle again to keep it from becoming extinct? An crocodilians in general, what about the critically endandered individuals such as the chinese alligator, or philippine crocodile?

**kenman1963** · #2 09-17-2004, 06:22 PM

I think the American species will do fine as our wildlife conservation laws and officers are well trained. The Foreign and more troubling third world countries where regulation is tougher to uphold and sometimes it's hunt the croc or don't feed the family

**KrokadilyanGuy3** · #3 09-17-2004, 07:58 PM

Well due to the fact I won't be online for a few weeks, here's my answer..
highly doubt anyone would be knocking off hatchlings due to the fact most farmers are for the skin than anything else. Plus hatchlings are not exactly the meatiest of animals so it just won't work. Same with most crocodilians under 3' Just not worth the fine. Wild populations are having an affect by farming, mainly that's what spurted the population. Farmers must release 60% (I believe) of hatchlings into the wild in most states. So if anything it's helped. Ideally speaking. I don't think anything will happen to alligators, at least not in any near future and definitely not in Fl.
As for the other animals, most if you count individual numbers are not as endangered as one would think. Most, including sinensis have literally numbers up into the thousands, the only problem with this is it's all in captivity. So I honestly don't think any of the describe species and ssp will go extinct anytime soon. The only problem we face is where and how can we start or help sustain wild populations. Every ideal place in China is inhabited by people that dont generally care and the only areas left are still being killed. Even though they are protected. So it's more ideal areas and ideal conditions that we should further look into, why breed so many animals when there's no place for them to be in the wild?
Zane

**furryscaly** · #4 09-18-2004, 08:46 PM

I don't think we'll lose the american alligator. However, we may lose them as we know them today. If we keep off the bigger ones, over time that will effect the whole species. Eventually,. alligators will naturally never get as big as they used to. Its an evolotionary thing. If the bigger ones get killed, the smaller ones will pass on their genes. Its very similar to what happened in Africa. Lions today don't get as big as they used to hundreds of years ago. Why? Big game hunting. Back when wealthy british folk were everything that moved in Africa, the bigger the lion the better the trophy. Its a fact that lions just don't get quite as big now because all the really big ones were killed off. I think over the next couple hundred years we'll notice a significant difference in the length of gators compared to how big they get today.

**Matt_D_C** · #5 09-21-2004, 11:57 AM

I don't think we'll be around for another couple of hundred years the way society is moving. They were here long before we were alive and they'll be here long after we die. lol

topjaw · #6 03-01-2005, 09:43 AM

First of all let me say, I will never buy alligator meat or any product that is derived from an alligator because I simply love these animals but, a friend of mine who has alot of contacts and is well verses in the herpetological world said that the more alligator products we buy, the better chance of survival they have. Because to keep the market going and keep the money coming in, there has to be a healthy wild population. He also said that is why the AA has made such a tremendous comeback.

topjaw · #7 03-01-2005, 12:46 PM

I want to say that my first reply(above) is not my opinion. I believe that alligator farmers say that as a lie to stay in business. If you destroy the market there will be no need to kill the alligators. I live in the southeast and this is alligator land. This is their place. Im an intruder. If people can just understand that, we can live in peace with our animal neighbors. In my opinion, if humans would learn to live with alligators there would be less attacks. If we kill them we dont learn anything. Thats a short term cop out by killing the animal just because it is a certain length or it gets on our property. If we are educated about them we will know what to and what not to do to prevent an attack. When I see alligators in the wild, they arent aggressive at all. Actually I have a hard time getting anywhere near them without them retreating. I wont stop until I can teach people to live with them. Everyone that loves reptiles and wildlife has the power to teach people and give them an understanding. Even if its one person, that person will tell their family and their friends and those friends will do the same and the word will spread. Of course they are dangerous animals but everything is dangerous to an extent. Im tired of people looking at an animal and trying to decide whether its worthy enough to live or if they should simply shoot it. Im sorry for going off subject.
Getting back to the question, I think that the alligator population is secure but with all of the rapid development and uneducated people, the future may start to look bad.


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