As a long time Floridian I’ve learned a lot about gators. Some has already been covered but here’s my contribution.
Gators are naturally afraid of human beings. They will not come near you unless you go into their waters.
Also gators lose their fear of humans if they are fed by a human being because now they will associate humans with food and they will attack.
This is why it is illegal to feed alligators in the state of Florida. You can be fined and or put in jail and then the alligator must be destroyed. It is an apex predator and vital to the Florida ecosystem.
The problem I have worked out is by the time you have determined if an alligator has been fed by humans it’s too late so stay away from them all.
Somebody feel free to correct me if I am wrong about any of this.
Also. Piss off we are full.
And I am much more afraid of ticks and Lyme disease than gators.
There’s no where else I’d rather live.