Basking

Taking in the Sun

MichaelStephenWills

Blackpoint Wildlife Drive meanders through marsh environments where humans are just visitors.

Here the Alligator is the apex predator that will attack and eat the unwary tourist. This eight-foot monster, resting on a hummock 20 feet from the road, absorbed only sun. In town, it is on the menu.

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Brevard County, Florida

Copyright 2022 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved

12 thoughts on “Basking”

  4. As far as I know, the number of unwary tourists eaten by alligators in past years is zero. In Texas, the only human death was that of a drunken idiot who went swimming in a bayou at night, next to the sign that said, “Caution! Alligators present!” Granted, there have been a few people walking their cute little doggies next to ponds who ran into trouble, but even minimal caution will keep humans safe.

    Like

    1. Here is a list of fatalities for the past few years. Source: the Wikipedia article has extensive references.

      Nancy Becker, 88, female August 15, 2022 The victim fell into a pond in a gated community in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and was attacked by a nearly 10-foot-long alligator. The victim’s body was found being guarded by the alligator and was later recovered.

      Rose Marie Wiegand, 80s, female July 15, 2022 The victim fell into a pond along a golf course in Englewood, Florida, and was attacked by two alligators.

      Micheal Burstein, 75, male June 24, 2022 The victim was dragged into a pond in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The victim’s body was recovered later and a subsequent post-mortem established that Mr Burstein drowned.

      Sean McGuinness, 47, male May 31, 2022 The victim was attacked while trying to retrieve frisbee golf discs in the lake at John S. Taylor Park in Largo, Florida. Police believed McGuinness had entered the lake during nighttime hours, as his body did not appear to have been in the lake for a long period when a person walking their dog discovered it along the shoreline with its arm torn off around 8am.

      Timothy Satterlee, 71, male August 30, 2021 The victim was attacked in floodwaters of Hurricane Ida near the city of Slidell, Louisiana, which is just across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. The attack was witnessed by the victim’s wife, who said the alligator bit his arm off. A 12-foot-long alligator believed to have attacked Satterlee was captured and killed on September 13, 2021. Human remains were found in its stomach.

      Cynthia Covert, 58, female May 1, 2020 The victim was pulled under and drowned by an alligator in a pond behind a home near Salt Cedar Lane, Kiawah Island, South Carolina.

      Like

Comments are closed.