Information Needed to Solve Gator Killing
On June 19, someone killed a big alligator in St. Andrews State Park and removed the tail. The gator was one of several that lived in Gator Lake and surrounding marshes. Thus far, efforts to solve the crime have been unsuccessful.
Now, a reward is being offered in the case through Florida’s Wildlife Alert Reward Association. The Wildlife Alert number is 888-404-3922. People can also send information via text message to Tip@MyFWC.com. Most cell phones allow users to text directly to an email address. Standard usage fees may apply.
Rewards range from $25 up to $1,000, and anyone who provides information can remain anonymous.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Officer Mike Goodwin said the gator was approximately 10 feet long and had been photographed numerous times by park visitors.
He urged anyone with information about the case to contact the Wildlife Alert hotline.
The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission came into existence on July 1, 1999 - the result of a constitutional amendment approved in the 1998 General Election as part of the package proposed by the Constitution Revision Commission.
In the implementation of the Constitutional Amendment, the Florida Legislature combined all of the staff and Commissioners of the former Marine Fisheries Commission, elements of the Divisions of Marine Resources and Law Enforcement of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and all of the employees and Commissioners of the former Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission.
Five years later, after consulting stakeholders, employees and other interested parties, the FWC adopted a new internal structure to address complex conservation issues of the new century. The new structure focuses on programs, such as habitat management, that affect numerous species. It will focus on moving the decision-making process closer to the public and did not require any additional funding or additional positions.
