The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
FWC LAUNCHES NEW HOTLINE
FOR ALLIGATOR COMPLAINTS
FOR ALLIGATOR COMPLAINTS
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has launched a new toll-free telephone number to report nuisance alligators. That number is 1-866-FWC-GATOR and should be the primary telephone number for alligator complaints, available to customers around the clock.
Alligators have shared marshes, swamps, rivers and lakes with humans for many centuries in the southeastern United States and are found in all of Floridas 67 counties. There have been increased interactions between alligators and humans as more and more people are seeking homes on waterfront property.
The FWC annually receives more than 15,000 alligator-related complaints. The agency removes more than 5,000 alligators each year when the reptiles pose a threat to humans or their property.
There are many precautionary measures people should take to reduce the potential for conflicts with alligators. To learn more of the dos and donts of dealing with alligators, download the Living with Alligators brochure from MyFWC.com/alligator.
Many Floridians have an appreciation for these ancient crocodilians and have learned to coexist with them. However, if you do encounter an alligator that poses a threat to people or property and is more than 4 feet in length, the FWC urges you to call the new Nuisance Alligator Hotline. All alligator complaints will be forwarded to this new dedicated hotline.
Alligators are an important part of Floridas heritage and play a valuable role in the ecology of the states wetlands. Visit MyFWC.com/alligator for more information on alligator behavior and about the Alligator Management Program.