Florida has over one million resident alligators; they can be found in every county in the state. It seems that just about any body of fresh water has the possibility of providing a home for a gator.
You might think that will so many alligators; the news might be full of reports of attacks on humans. Fortunately, that is not the case. About a dozen people each year have a run in with a gator. Most are not fatal.
With a bit of caution and some common sense problems can be avoided.
Never, ever, feed an alligator. It is against the law, and for good reason. Once an alligator relates humans to food, all fear is lost. They will aggressively approach people hoping for a bite to eat. You don’t want to be that bite.
Stay out of the water early in the morning and late in the evening. Gators are active at night. It should go without saying to never swim in a pond or stream after dark.
If signs are posted, warning of the presence of an alligator, keep a sharp eye out for any signs of the reptiles. Ask any person in the area if a gator has been spotted recently.
In May and June, gators are on the move looking for a mate. Be even more careful at that time.
The most obvious rule should be, if a big gator is spotted anywhere near where you want to swim, stay out of the water.
FOG sez: I carefully check my swimming pool for gators before I jump in.
FOG is a bit of a smart aleck old guy. 
