Over 400 Alligators Have Been Removed From Walt Disney World Since 2016 Tragedy

Nearly a decade after 2-year-old Lane Thomas Graves was killed by an alligator at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, trappers have removed over 400 gators from Walt Disney World property.

Trapping Alligators

Per records acquired by News6, in the eight years leading up to the 2016 incident, state-contracted trappers removed an average of 23 alligators a year from Disney property. However, in 2016, 83 gators were removed. In the ten years since, 414 alligators have been removed.

In the eight years leading up to the 2016 incident, state-contracted trappers removed an average of 23 alligators a year from Disney property. However, in 2016, 83 gators were removed. In the ten years since, 414 alligators have been removed.

“In keeping with our strong commitment to safety, we continue to reinforce procedures related to reporting sightings and interactions with wildlife, and work closely with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to remove or relocate certain wildlife from our property in accordance with state regulations,” a Walt Disney World spokesperson said in 2021 in response to questions about the ongoing alligator removals.

These alligator removals are part of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP). According to the FWC, gators are a nuisance if they are “at least 4 feet in length” and are believed to pose a threat to people, pets, or property. That said, it also mentions that “there are situations when smaller alligators wind up in places that are not acceptable, such as swimming pools, garages, etc., and must be removed.”

FWC does not relocate the removed alligators because they usually try to return to their capture site. However, this removal does not impact Florida’s healthy population of wild gators.

In addition to these removal efforts, Disney has also constructed barriers and other means to keep alligators from getting too close to guests. Fencing, boulder walls, and warning signs can be seen around Seven Seas Lagoon at the Grand Floridian, as well as around other areas of Disney property that are close to the water. In addition, Cast Members receive reinforced training.

Experts on animal biology and conservation say that these removal efforts do not negatively impact the Florida alligator population, which is relatively stable at around 1.3 million alligators in the state. From 1967 to 1987, the American alligator was protected as endangered by federal law according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, but conservation efforts have since led to a recovery of the alligator population.

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