plantladylin said:They do have an "Alligator Season" where some can legally hunt gartors: http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabit...

During mating season gator's will even try to attack a car. Scroll down this page for a photo from the news last May: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43...

There are instances of "Nuisance Gator's" (usually they become a nuisance when humans feed them which is illegal but you know how some humans are.) If a gator becomes threatening in a neighborhood, animal control or Florida Fish & Wildlife is usually called in to trap and remove/relocate the particular gator: http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabit...

Gator's have a wide range: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw230

Thanks for those links Lin. Because my work involves monitoring, trapping (and sometimes destroying) crocodiles I found them quite interesting. One of the main journal articles quoted, "Counting and Capturing Crocodilians", referenced works by some of our top crocodile people here. However, what made me grin was where the article mentioned the use of canoes and porta-boats for working with crocodilians. That's definitely not an option here. It would be a very temporary researcher who attempted using either of those in their field work.

For anyone interested, I did a Cubits article on capturing and placing a satellite tracker on a crocodile. It's a step by step series of photos of the process we use:
http://cubits.org/crocodiles/a...

And a great article it is, too, Zig!
Scared me to death just reading it.

"Temporary researcher'. Ha.

LOL ... I know I'd never want to be in a canoe, kayak or porta boat in waters where alligators and crocodiles are present ... scares me just thinking about it! There are more than a million alligators in Florida and an estimate of @ 2,000 crocodiles.

Thanks for the link Zig, I'm going to read your article now!

Zig: I really enjoyed your interesting and informative article about attaching the satellite transmitter's to the crocodiles! Scary job!

I like that very informative article Zig! Ordinary folks would not know otherwise the innate dangers of being near alligators and crocodiles. And at the same time, knowledge is key indeed! Peaceful coexistence as much as possible.

I remember awhile back in the Philippines they have featured this humongous saltwater crocodile, which they have successfully captured...I never knew there were saltwater versions..I thought they were mostly freshwater. Anyways...just to share the article about it. This is one huge reptile indeed.

http://peterpaulcarim.com/lolo...

scanned pic of a gopher tortoise in my neighbor's yard. Blew a whole roll of film on this guy...sorry the shot isn't better...my scanner has problems

I'm glad people are still finding that article interesting. Tarev, we have the same crocodile you have in the Philippines. It actually ranges from Australia, New Guinea, South East Asia and right up to India. And they're called Saltwater Crocodiles because they can stay long periods in saltwater. But they're equally at home in freshwater and are found a long way inland in rivers and lakes.

There is a 3 metre one that has my place as part of it's territory, my creek and swamp. But just recently a neighbour over the back who has the same creek going through her place has got the wildlife authorities to put in a crocodile trap. She wants it relocated. The thing is she (and family) might get a false sense of security once it's removed and start swimming in the creek or just behaving carelessly near it. Another crocodile could move in unnoticed any time. There's plenty of crocodiles looking for new territory.

My garden does not host much wildlife just the occasional lizard, opossum, black widow, mantids...but I have these feral felines..this one in particular loves to drink water from our fountain..unfortunately the fountain is still empty right now as he made his climb yesterday 21Feb..he looked so disappointed




I call him feral since I do not know who owns him, he just loves going by our place...
this photo taken 04Nov2011, same cat...sipping happily

at times just hanging about the fence..I guess on the look out for robins etc.

What a beautiful kitty ... and I don't think he/she's a feral cat, he/she looks very healthy and I think I see a collar in that second photo.

Wow, nice fountain too!!

Just sharing some more photos of the Tarsier, from my friend's album. Somehow, the tarsier in this photo reminds me of the character Gollum in Lord of the Rings though Tarsier is cuter of course

That is really cute in a round about way. You know the saying about something being so ugly that it's cute. Could apply. But I really like that little guy. The eyes could look right through you. Thanks for posting your photos, tarev.

Such a strange looking little creature, but cute in it' own way.

Does remind me of ET, especially those fingers.

I have to agree, Tarev -- that little guy could be the prototype for Gollum! How large is a tarsier, anyway?

Hi Sandy, I think not how large but how small the Philippine tarsier is It is around 4 to 5 inches.

Here's a photo as it holds on to a woman's arm, to give size idea:

That is just beyond precious.

That is really adorable, tarev.

I'm a little late coming back to the party, but yes, that little guy is so weirdly cute!

Can you imagine gazing into those eyes in person, up close & personal? That would be an experience for sure.

Ann, last year I gazed into big brown eyes, maybe it was the same deer and that's why she wasn't afraid, I hadn't thought of that. The first shot she was checking out our yard after being chased out of the neighbors. She is looking right at me, less than 15 feet away, I was on the deck, I told her she was beautiful but she couldn't come in my yard, she wasn't even scared of me. Later I look out and there she is once again gazing into the yard through the chicken wire that we had put there to keep a buck out that had been raiding the bird feeders, I went back outside again and she didn't get in the least bit spooked. Click to enlarge, she was gorgeous. So was the cheeky buck!!