arf arf

It's a shame that the 'gator is going to be destroyed for simply reacting to someone who ignored signs and warnings. Pity there was no sign saying "Don't feed the 'gators" really. Not that it would have made any difference to the volunteer meal, and the reasons for the law under which the alligator will be destroyed are clear enough, but still - what else was likely to happen when someone chooses to put themselves in the water with a wild or, worse, wild and human-habituated animal?

> ...state law which dictates a death sentence for any reptile which "either digests or kills a person".

Is it possible that someone could be digested by a reptile without being killed?

Sorry, but this doesn't have the right level of comic stupidity necessary for a proper Darwin entry.

The guy was just panicking and ran from the cops, so obviously he wasn't hanging around to read warning signs or listen to passers-by.

It's nowhere near as good as the guy who tried to remove stubborn wheel nuts by firing a shotgun at them, although I admit that (unfortunately for comedy purposes) he didn't actually die.

It didn't attack anyone in the traditional sense, elevenses just ran into its pool and, well, y'know....stuff happens.

The crook has effectively committed suicide by gator.

Give the cold-blooded one a medal.

Perhaps he was trying to be James Bond.

In Live and Let Die, James Bond escapes by running across the backs of crocodiles. I guess this just doesn't work with alligators.

Get me a gator sandwich and make it snappy...

"Is it possible that someone could be digested by a reptile without being killed?"

What do you do if your swallowed by a reptile? Run around and around until your all pooped out.

..a good philosophical point.

I wonder what the penalty is for only partially digesting a living person? Say up to the knees?

However, it may be aimed at removing 'gators which eat dead bodies - which is probably quite likely if there is a boat or auto smash somewhere remote.

I suspect that the local 'gator population may also be a prime resource for recycling embarrasing corpses, which again should be discouraged.

P.S. Is it possible to combine icons? There seems to be no reference to Paris Hilton's involvement with IT so I was torn between the two.

Death to all worms.... they have been digesting living things for millions of years, it's time we wiped those buggers out!!

I can see destroying a gator that is rampaging around, hunting people down - but really, this was a "special delivery" right into the habitat. It isn't like the gator is supposed to know "Oh, can't each one of those! Where's that bird I was looking at earlier?" or anything.

Kind of weird how we try to place our ideals of social behavior on a creature that has a "see thing, eat thing" instinct.

RE:

Has to be a candidate

By Danny

Posted Wednesday 14th November 2007 12:16 GMT

For the illustrious Darwin Awards. I can't even imagine how running through a pool of killer reptiles could ever be considered a good escape route.

PS: We need a darwin icon!

I 2nd the motion for a Darwin icon

Because if not, I'm submitting it for the Darwin Awards. Might even win it. Please, if you have just crossed a bunch of warning signs AND people are shouting at you, *listen*. Or even better, jump back.

Better to spend some months in the slammer than being croc meal. Unless you're James Bond. Or Crocodile Dundee ;)

PD: Save the croc. It isn't like the croc went out on a killing rampage or something ...

...for the 'gator. Not only does it have to deal with the taste of USAnian in its mouth, but also with being murdered for doing what comes naturally.

Poor thing. I hope they let it live.

"I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for those meddling alligators!

I am mildly surprised that the stiff's realtives have not yet announced a lawsuit against the police, the hotel and the 'gator.

ol'mate comentator dude on that Maximum Exposure show used to say something about being caught in the jaws of the law... bleh

I have seen quite a few signs in Florida forbidding trespassing or swimming with the caveat "......survivors will be prosecuted".

I don't think they were entirely for comic effect either.

I lived in Florida for several years and I'm afraid I agree with offing the gator. Gators are everywhere, even in urban areas, where they travel through the storm drains and large roadside ditches provided to handle the 500 inch annual rainfall. They're very strong and they can run very fast on land. There's plenty of other stuff for them to eat so human casualties are rare - children used to play and jet-ski by day in the lake next to my apartment, and at night we'd sit on the dock and pick out the alligator eyes with a flashlight - but the last thing anyone wants is a gator loose in town with a taste for long pig.

There are worse fears in Florida than man-eating reptiles. If you want to see someone's life shredded, just make an anonymous tip to local law enforcement that he/she owns a piranha.

The US 'grators have some catching up to do. Our Salt Water crocs have been the most effective tool in keeping the German and US tourist population in check for decades

In most cases we don't destroy the crocs, just relocate them to other problem areas. Only wish that included withe various gaols around the country

Wikipedia gives.

Saltwater Crocodile

• largest of all living crocodilians and reptiles

Saltwater crocodiles can take monkeys, kangaroo, wild boar, dingos, goannas, birds, domestic livestock, pets, **water buffalo**, gaur, leopards, sharks, and humans, among other large animals as well.

...strength to drag a fully grown water buffalo into a river, or crush a full-grown bovid's skull between its jaws.

I live in AUS. I've seen these. SCARY!