GatorWise website educates Arkansans on coexisting with alligators

LITTLE ROCK — Living with alligators is a reality most Arkansans in the southern half of the state are aware of, with many people feeling uneasy about the prospect. A new website developed by the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies hopes to alleviate the concerns by offering helpful tips on what makes an alligator tick and how people can coexist with the largest reptile native to The Natural State.

The website, www.GatorWise.org, is an information project developed by 11 states in the Southeast where alligators live to promote realistic public perceptions about alligators and provide guidance on responsible human behavior to minimize conflict between alligators and people.

AGFC Herpetologist Amanda Bryant says the project has been in the works for a while and has piggybacked off the success of another wildlife awareness project, BearWise.org.

“Some states are beginning to see an uptick in nuisance alligator reports and sightings, and some of these reports are simply that an alligator exists somewhere people hadn’t seen one before,” Bryant said. “Some states, like Florida, have done an excellent job of spreading awareness about alligator behavior and safety, and we wanted to work together to have a cohesive message throughout the American alligator’s range.”

The American alligator is native to Arkansas. However, it was once extirpated from Arkansas’s landscape because of habitat degradation, overexploitation for their skins and misguided fear toward these keystone wetland predators. The AGFC worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to restock alligators in their original native range in 1970-71, and the species has remained stable since. The population is healthy enough to support a fairly popular hunting season each year.

Bryant says that, according to AGFC reports, there are no known cases of an instate human death by an alligator. Most cases in other states also could have been avoided with a few precautions.

“That’s why we want to get the word out,” Bryant said. “Things like keeping an eye out before entering the water in alligator habitat and keeping your pets on a leash and away from the shoreline will go a long way in preventing alligator conflicts. That’s the sort of thing you’re going to find at GatorWise.org.”

As warm weather returns, GatorWise and AGFC want to remind people that it’s normal to see alligators moving around and basking in our rivers, ponds and lakes. Alligators are native to Arkansas and are critical to the health and balance of our ecosystems.

“If there is an alligator that is in an area where it creates a hazard, we do have resources to relocate the animal, thanks to the USDA APHIS Wildlife Services Department. Those alligators can be reported by calling 822-245-0315,” Bryant said.

Be GatorWise: Admire them from a distance, never feed alligators and learn more at www.GatorWise.org.

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With proper precautions, alligators and humans can coexist in the same general spaces without nuisance issues. AGFC photo. 

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Alligators were reintroduced to Arkansas in 1970-71. AGFC photo.