Alligators are everywhere in Florida. They have a natural fear of humans so if you leave them alone, they leave you alone.
We spent a good deal of time with one alligator family, mom and nine 10" long baby gators. The babies usually hid in the grass on the edge of the water, conveniently right next to the trail.
Mom only once moved in closer when we were checking out the babies, but she made no threatening moves.
Mom and six of the baby gators
Close up portrait of one of the babies
When mom moved closer to them, they could crawl up on her back.
Sometimes the gators are well hidden (Can you find the young in the photo on the right?)
They can lie in the water with just their eyes and nostrils barely showing
Gators spend a lot time relaxing in the sun, or gliding along in the water
And sometimes they just have to cross the road
We watched this guy slide off a berm to the left of the trail and start to swim towards us. Suspecting he might want to cross we held back and stopped other people coming along the trail. Sure enough, once he sensed the trail was clear, up and over he came.
