Sun lovers aren't the only creatures enjoying Florida's warm days. The state's abundant alligator population is out and about too, searching for food and establishing territories. The Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission advises that people should be careful while that activity is going on.
Alligators are cold-blooded, so they are stimulated by the warm sun, said biologist Nick Wiley.
''An alligator's diet consists of almost everything that comes within range of its jaws and is small enough to eat,'' he said.
Alligators typically eat fish, turtles, birds, raccoons, opossums and other alligators, but they will eat dogs and cats just as easily, Wiley added.
The game commission recommends that people follow these safety tips when they are near water that may harbor alligators: - Do not feed alligators. When humans feed alligators, the reptiles quickly associate humans with food and lose their natural shyness. A human-fed gator may mistake a hand for a hand-out. Florida law prohibits feeding alligators in the wild.
- Do not swim with pets or allow them to play near shorelines. Small dogs and cats are perfect prey for alligators. An alligator lunging at a dog may bite its master instead.
- Do not approach alligators. The creatures are quite agile, and move with astonishing quickness. Alligators have been known to climb fences.
- Avoid swimming at dawn or dusk. That is when alligators often feed.
- Do not use your hands or feet to search for golf balls in ponds. Florida has documented 12 alligator attacks resulting from this activity.
- Do not clean fish and discard parts into the water if alligators are known to be present. Swimming or dangling feet in waters where fish have been cleaned is dangerous.
- Be alert. Florida has documented several alligator attacks resulting from snorkelers colliding with alligators. These attacks are usually the result of the alligator simply investigating what bumped into him by feeling it with his mouth.
Alligators have been known to stalk their prey for hours. Alert swimmers and fishermen often will notice an aggressive gator long before an attack is imminent.
If you are attacked by a gator, the best response is to fight. Create as much noise and confusion as possible. Usually, the gator will realize it has made a mistake by attacking a large animal it cannot overpower easily, and will turn loose and flee.
If you are wounded by an alligator, the commission recommends seeking medical treatment. Alligators' mouths contain bacteria that cause infection quickly in humans.
The commission request individuals to report alligator attacks and gators that are very large, too friendly or frequent popular swimming locations.