Alligator drags child into water at Disney's Grand Floridian hotel

[Deberg_1990]

Wow


http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/...614-story.html


Deputies were searching late Tuesday night for a toddler who was dragged into the water by an alligator near Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa earlier in the evening, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

The 2-year-old child was dragged into the Seven Seas Lagoon about 9:30 p.m., Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Rose Silva said.

Deputies were searching the waters and put crime-scene tape around area to block it off. Multiple emergency vehicles filled the front drive of the Victorian-style hotel and a helicopter hovered overhead.

The child, whose name was not available, has not been found as of 11 p.m.



Some witnesses said they saw the toddler along the beach near the water, but no eye-witnesses to him being dragged into the water by an alligator were available for comment Tuesday night.

The hotel is an upscale luxury resort owned by Disney. It is one of three hotels on the monorail line, just one stop away from the Magic Kingdom Park.

Hotel guest A.J. Jain and his family were visiting Disney from Georgia and said he and his kids were playing on the beach near the scene of the incident earlier Tuesday.

“I’m just here to say a prayer,” he said. “I can’t imagine what those parents are going through. It’s been one tough week in Orlando.”

It is not clear if the missing child was staying at the hotel.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

Gators where an endangered species not that long ago from over hunting.

50 years ago, yes.

They've not been endangered for 30 years; that's how quickly the population of a friggen dinosaur with no natural predators is going to bounce back.

We're not talking about a delicate flower here. It wouldn't be difficult at all to monitor and maintain a healthy, genetically diverse population while simultaneously driving their numbers down to a far more reasonable level.

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

50 years ago, yes.

They've not been endangered for 30 years; that's how quickly the population of a friggen dinosaur with no natural predators is going to bounce back.

We're not talking about a delicate flower here. It wouldn't be difficult at all to monitor and maintain a healthy, genetically diverse population while simultaneously driving their numbers down to a far more reasonable level.

Nuisance animals are taken all the time. It isn't like they are just running amok, unchecked, free to do whatever they want. Whether a pond has 5 gators or 10, it is still a pond you should probably try to steer clear of.

[LOCOChief]

Originally Posted by Pasta Giant Meatball

Oh please...yeah I'm sure you badasses woulda have whooped the gators ass in pitch black conditions.

He wasn't snatched in pitch black conditions and yes I would have kicked the gators ass if I was quick enough to get my hands on him.

[Hamwallet]

I lived in and around Orlando for almost 10 years. I was always at lakes and swamps on boats and jet skis. I saw plenty of gators but they kept there distance for the most part. If the sun starts going down, get your ass out of the water. This was a freak event and no need to thin the population of them.

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by LOCOChief

He wasn't snatched in pitch black conditions and yes I would have kicked the gators ass if I was quick enough to get my hands on him.

Quick like Jamaal, strong like Dontari...we have a legend in our midst.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Pablo

Quick like Jamaal, strong like Dontari...we have a legend in our midst.

If they got excited enough, I couldn't even handle my 15 pounds cats in a wrestling match. Humans tend to not match up well against animals unless we cheat with our toolmaking ability.

[LOCOChief]

Originally Posted by Pablo

Quick like Jamaal, strong like Dontari...we have a legend in our midst.

Nope, I live on the Myakka River in Sw Fl. Today the river is within 50' of the house. Raised a kids and pets right here amongst thousands of gators. It's not unusual to see 13+ footers on a daily basis. Not saying I'm a badass at all, but a 4-5 footer I'm the one doing the eating not the gator.

[Coochie liquor]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

50 years ago, yes.

They've not been endangered for 30 years; that's how quickly the population of a friggen dinosaur with no natural predators is going to bounce back.

We're not talking about a delicate flower here. It wouldn't be difficult at all to monitor and maintain a healthy, genetically diverse population while simultaneously driving their numbers down to a far more reasonable level.

Well the areas you would consider them being a problem would be in the populated areas. Are you gonna allow people to go hunting in suburban lakes? If you're gonna just allow them to hunt in the Everglades that would be pretty dumb considering nobody lives there and that's probably where they are greater in numbers. Taking 1000 gators from the Everglades isn't going to fix your gators in the lakes problems

[ToxSocks]

Some of you guys in this thread remind me of this. I love this scene.

[wazu]

Are alligators contributing some vital piece of the ecosystem that we can't live without? Is there some compelling reason we should limit people hunting them at all?

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Coochie liquor

Well the areas you would consider them being a problem would be in the populated areas. Are you gonna allow people to go hunting in suburban lakes? If you're gonna just allow them to hunt in the Everglades that would be pretty dumb considering nobody lives there and that's probably where they are greater in numbers. Taking 1000 gators from the Everglades isn't going to fix your gators in the lakes problems

Don't you think population stress is what's driven alligators into residential areas? I think everyone will concede that a gator would rather be someplace secluded than in the middle of a subdivision, no?

But as gators are largely solitary and territorial, as the population has increased in the everglades, they've been driven into neighborhoods.

So why wouldn't significant culling in the everglades serve to reduce that strain on resources/territory and lead to the 'residential' gators heading back to their swamps?

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

Some of you guys in this thread remind me of this. I love this scene.

That made me laugh. I wasn't expecting it.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by wazu

Are alligators contributing some vital piece of the ecosystem that we can't live without? Is there some compelling reason we should limit people hunting them at all?

They're very important. Considered a keystone species.

[ThaVirus]

This man said he'd have kicked the gator's ass

Good Lord..

[kysirsoze]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

And this is all I'm saying.

I'm not saying put out a bounty and tell people to start bringing in scalps.

But dammit, you should be able to get your own permit and hunt the bastards during some kind of hunting season. Again, we allow people to hunt just about every non-endangered species on this continent and they AREN'T apex predators that change the way an entire state has to go about its business.

I'm not sure granting permits to amateurs for them to hunt alligators would result in fewer deaths. I'm guessing the opposite.