Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C. -- On a temperate North Carolina evening, a few good men set out from the Marine Corps Air Station New River marina to come face-to-face with one of nature’s most prehistoric creatures, the American alligator.
David Rogers and Walter Cotton, air station conservations law enforcement officers, conducted a survey of the alligator population of the New River, Sept. 10.
The game wardens filled their two boats with all of the necessary gear needed to accurately count the population, including high-powered spotlights, a GPS used to map the alligators, and radios to communicate where they were.
As they set off in their boats, the vast amount of bait fish in the river jumped in reaction, mullet and shrimp leaping through the air, often within inches of the passenger’s heads, as if making their escape from an approaching predator.
Making their way down the river banks, they used their lights to illuminate the red eyes of the reptiles, allowing them to gauge how large the creatures were. Although many were young alligators less than four feet long, some were recorded at much longer lengths.
By the end of the trip, more than 20 alligators were spotted and logged.
“It’s important to spot and record the alligator population,” said Rogers. “Although it hasn’t happened yet, if the population grows large enough, there could be a hunting season declared for the alligator to keep the population from growing at an uncontrollable rate.”
Rogers went on to explain that with more alligators in the area, the sightings and human interactions with the reptiles will increase.
These animals are wild and humans interacting with them could create an unnecessary risk. Those wishing to feed an animal could be signing the animal’s “death warrant,” said Rogers.
If the alligators get used to the taste of human food, they could become a pest, Rogers explained.
The warden’s office will relocate the animals to a location farther away from the area, but could see the same alligator four to six months later because they know an easy meal is available.
According to North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, the government agency responsible for the enforcement of hunting, trapping and boating laws, the American alligator is listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Feeding these animals in the wild could cause them to lose their fear of humans, making them more likely to approach and possibly attack.
For more information on local wildlife regulations, contact the air station game warden’s office at 910-449-0108 or visit www.ncwildlife.org.