Gator Mating Season Has Arrived: Here’s What To Know To Stay Safe

Unsplash / Marianne Lorrain

As gator mating season rolls around, it’s important to be careful when you’re venturing into the great outdoors. As COVID-19 has many of us heading out for walks and jogs more frequently than normal, it’s especially important to follow these tips to ensure that you keep the gators at bay.

While deadly alligator attacks on humans are considered rare, you’ll still want to keep your distance if you come across one in your path. Try not to freak out if you see a gator – Florida Fish and Wildlife states that the risk of an unprovoked attack by an alligator in Florida is about 1 in 3.2 million.

If you decide to head out for a swim, be sure to heed any warnings. Wildlife experts place warnings based on where alligators have been seen in the past, and it’s likely that they’ll return to the same area. Mating season begins in May or June as the temperature begins to increase – exactly the time that many people head out for the start of summer.

Be sure to keep your pets safe, too. If you see your dog or cat sniffing around a pile of soil, vegetation, or debris, get them away fast. These are likely to be alligator nests, housing 32 to 46 eggs each.

Watch the report from CBS Miami below about helpful tips to keep in mind during this yearly event for the gator population.