The American alligator is a major predator in the swamps of the United States. The predator exists in large number in the southeastern states. At some point in time, the predator had decreased a lot in population due to over-exploitation and a lack of conservation laws and regulations. Today, with conservation laws and regulations in place, the population has risen to very high levels. Here are facts regarding Hunting for alligators.
The US named the predator as an endangered species in 1967 and banned any form of exploitation/hunting of the creatures. The protection proved to be effective since the population of the predator in the country began to bounce back in the mid-1970s. The number increased at a tremendous rate that the national government allowed each state to be liable for the management of the population of their own gators.
As a result, various states started to legalize hunting of gators. However, to ensure that over-exploitation does not happen all over again, hunters had to be licensed and maintain a strict quota during the hunting season. Every gator that was hunted had to bear the CITES tag. CITES is the acronym for Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
The skin and other parts of the gator are the reasons people hunt them. When harvested, the skins can be used to make a wide variety of leather products. Other gators are used as decorations in offices and homes where they are made into taxidermy. It is impossible to differentiate between American alligator skin and those of American crocodile and Chinese alligators.
The predators live in many locations. In majority of the states in the US, they can be found in reservoirs, swamps, coastal freshwater marshes, and major river drainage. They may also be found in farm ponds, lagoons, ditches, canals, and creek drainage. In generals, the predator can live in any water pool that can provide them with sufficient supply of food and prey.
In places where alligator populations are very high in residential areas, human-alligator conflict is eminent. The animals get accustomed to human activities and become both a nuisance and a danger to people. They regularly attack and kill pets outside homes. They also infringe into compounds and cause a threat to people. Encounters can be lethal in some cases.
Regulated hunting is allowed to curb such incidences. Members of the general public are required to apply for licenses that allow them to legally harvest and dispose alligators through permitted methods. This activity happens each year across several states. The open season may vary from state to state, but it typically lasts for one to two months. The activity is strictly regulated through federal and state laws.
After hunting the predators, people usually take them to businesses collect and process gators as a specialty. The processing involves skinning the predator and harvesting the most important organs. The skins are very valuable and may be sold for a few thousands. Young predator skin cost less compared to the skin from adult predators. The age of the animal, weight, and size usually determines the cost.
The US named the predator as an endangered species in 1967 and banned any form of exploitation/hunting of the creatures. The protection proved to be effective since the population of the predator in the country began to bounce back in the mid-1970s. The number increased at a tremendous rate that the national government allowed each state to be liable for the management of the population of their own gators.
As a result, various states started to legalize hunting of gators. However, to ensure that over-exploitation does not happen all over again, hunters had to be licensed and maintain a strict quota during the hunting season. Every gator that was hunted had to bear the CITES tag. CITES is the acronym for Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
The skin and other parts of the gator are the reasons people hunt them. When harvested, the skins can be used to make a wide variety of leather products. Other gators are used as decorations in offices and homes where they are made into taxidermy. It is impossible to differentiate between American alligator skin and those of American crocodile and Chinese alligators.
The predators live in many locations. In majority of the states in the US, they can be found in reservoirs, swamps, coastal freshwater marshes, and major river drainage. They may also be found in farm ponds, lagoons, ditches, canals, and creek drainage. In generals, the predator can live in any water pool that can provide them with sufficient supply of food and prey.
In places where alligator populations are very high in residential areas, human-alligator conflict is eminent. The animals get accustomed to human activities and become both a nuisance and a danger to people. They regularly attack and kill pets outside homes. They also infringe into compounds and cause a threat to people. Encounters can be lethal in some cases.
Regulated hunting is allowed to curb such incidences. Members of the general public are required to apply for licenses that allow them to legally harvest and dispose alligators through permitted methods. This activity happens each year across several states. The open season may vary from state to state, but it typically lasts for one to two months. The activity is strictly regulated through federal and state laws.
After hunting the predators, people usually take them to businesses collect and process gators as a specialty. The processing involves skinning the predator and harvesting the most important organs. The skins are very valuable and may be sold for a few thousands. Young predator skin cost less compared to the skin from adult predators. The age of the animal, weight, and size usually determines the cost.
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