Florida alligator poachers facing third-degree felony, Florida agency says
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission estimates there are 1.3 million alligators in Florida.
Florida alligator hunting season changes
Video from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission of some of the state's 1.3 million reptiles.
MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. - The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) released an image showing a 6-foot gator that the agency says was illegally killed by two alleged poachers in Sarasota County.
A road ranger reported seeing the poachers loading the dead animal in their truck off Interstate 75, authorities said. The two men, Ricardo Rodriguez and Ricardo Lopez Perez, were tracked to Manatee County and arrested. They're both facing a third-degree felony.
"There's a hunting season for a reason; you shouldn’t take any animal outside those seasons," said Dan Costell, ZooTampa Associate Curator of Reptiles.
SEE THE MASSIVE ALLIGATOR FOUND LURKING IN A SOUTH FLORIDA SWAMP
FWC released an image of an alligator that was killed illegally.
(The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) / FOX Weather)
Alligators are a protected species. It’s illegal to kill one outside of gator hunting season in Florida, unless it's deemed a threat by FWC and at that point, they'll bring in a state-certified trapper.
"These guys are apex predators. They keep down the population of nuisance species raccoons, opossums and otters," Costell explained.
Alligator hunting season runs from Aug. 15 to November. During that time, the state hands out about 7,000 permits, each allowing hunters to kill two non-hatchling alligators.
"It is frustrating to hear that people are still going outside the law and killing animals," Costell shared.
Alligator mating season starts early due to warm weather
Warmer temperatures across Florida have prompted alligators to begin their mating season earlier than normal.