I just came back from Fla., we took one of our grandchildren w/us. Had a wonderful time. We saw two baby gators at one of those big fruit stands. That was it. But we were never near fresh water and I always check the pool in Fla. before we get in. However, in past years when we went to Fla., and I've been going to Fla. on vacation for decades now, as well as other places, I've seen plenty of gators, when I was near their habitat, which is most often, fresh water, near banks, and reedy areas. I've seen them at other Florida tourist spots other than Disney (us being the tourists) lying around the fresh water areas. When I was a child, and went to Fla., you rarely ever saw one b/c they were endangered. Well, that's changed. They won't lift them from the endangered list b/c they say they look too much like the American Crocodile (which is endangered). If you can't tell the difference in the two then you shouldn't be hunting in the first place. However, I digress, if you don't want to go to Fla. b/c of the number of alligators, then I'd recommend not going to Louisiana either b/c they have even more than Fla. You might also want to strike Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Texas off of your list too. It is absolutely horrific what happened to that little boy. I can't even imagine what he felt, it is heartbreaking, and what his parents are still feeling, is just beyond what I can imagine, but, the fact is, that we live in conjunction with wild animals in may places. Bears are coming back to the area here. I'd never heard of a bear in these parts and two were caught on film rambling around just recently. I'm now going to be more cautious. A wild animal jumped out at us on our property not long ago, thankfully my dog was with me and was capable of taking care of the matter. But you are more likely to be killed by a dog, a snake or in a car collision than by an alligator. Even cows kill more people each year than alligators. We can't cry save this species, or save that species, and then not understand why they are in areas that they consider "home". Gators can even climb fences if they want into somewhere badly enough. Again, I feel for this family, especially the little boy. But to demonize Fla., or Disney, b/c gators were in fresh water doing what gators do, I just can't go there. I can't blame the parents either. It was just a horrible tragedy. Sometimes horrible tragedies just happen.
