Research on Kiawah Alligators:
An Update
I
Story and photographs by John Kotz
f you walk or bike near one of Kiawah’s many ponds, watch your step!
Many of us have strolled along looking at the scenery or talking with a
friend—when right in front of us was an alligator basking in the warm
sun! Alligators do not generally approach humans with the intent of
attacking, but safety is always a primary concern.
The best estimate of the Town of Kiawah biologists is that over 400 alligators live
in Kiawah’s ponds. Or should we say, live in their ponds. We are just intruders in
their world that they have inhabited for many millennia. In spite of their numbers
and their longevity, it turns out we know relatively little about them. Do they move
around from pond to pond over long distances or do they remain in the same
pond or area throughout their lives? Do they only live in freshwater or do they go
to the salt marsh or even the ocean to feed? Does the environment in which we
interlopers make them live have an effect on their health and well-being? What
overall role do they play in the ecology of our island?
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