Don’t Feed the Okefenokee Alligators or they act like this
Do not feed alligators in okefenokee swamp
Okefenokee Swamp Georgia
Don’t Feed the Alligators
After this past weekend’s trip at the Okefenokee Swamp, we learned that some warmouth anglers are killing bi-catch and feeding them to the gators. This can cause alligators to become aggressive towards humans. As demonstrated in this video. Warmouth are hand size panfish are are prized trophy fish and table fare of the Okefenokee Swamp. They are similar to bream or crappie. A warmouth anglers fish with a cane pole or modern spinning setup. The tackle resemble a baited hook on a small bobber or a jig on a small bobber. They can be seen creeping the edges of brush and trees in search of hiding warmouth panfish. On this weekend, some boats had 40+ warmouth in their cooler.
However, not all of the fish these anglers catch are warmouth. Some are bowfin, also referred to as “mudfish” in South Georgia. These fish are targeted by anglers for sport, but not for consumption. So they get thrown back, keep growing large and more aggressive, and we kayak anglers chase the monster bowfin of the Okefenokee Swamp which can grow 30+ inches long or more. These fish are an annoyance to warmouth anglers. As they will wreck their warmouth tackle and force an angler to continuously tie on a new rig. So in SOME CASES, we heard that warmouth anglers will feed their bi-catch (species not targeted) to the ever present and always hungry alligators. While this thins out the competition on the warmouth population, feeding alligators causes another problem all together.
In this video you can see what a fed gator looks and acts like. It builds an association between people and food. Then immediately presses the next person it sees for food. If you look closely down the canal, you’ll see a couple of Jon Boats down the canal who were warmouth fishing that day and had likely fed this alligator a fish. Please do not feed the alligators at the Okefenokee Swamp!
Feeding alligators can be dangerous for both humans and alligators.
Here are some reasons why you should never feed alligators:
Feeding alligators can make them associate humans with food: Alligators have a powerful sense of smell and can detect even small amounts of food. If you feed an alligator, it may start to associate humans with food and become more aggressive towards people.
Feeding alligators can make them lose their natural fear of humans: Alligators are wild animals and should be afraid of humans. If they lose this natural fear, they may start to approach humans more often, which can lead to dangerous situations.
Feeding alligators can alter their natural behavior: Alligators have a natural diet that consists of fish, turtles, birds, and other small animals. If they start to rely on human food, it can disrupt their natural behavior and make them less able to survive in the wild.
Feeding alligators is illegal in many states: In many states, it is illegal to feed alligators. Violators can face fines and even jail time.
Feeding alligators is a dangerous and illegal activity that can have serious consequences for both humans and alligators. It’s important to always respect alligators as wild animals and keep a safe distance from them. If you see an alligator in the wild, do not approach it, and never attempt to feed it.
