According to e-mails obtained by the Orlando Sentinel, Reedy Creek Firefighters had been warned not to feed alligators around the firestation. Feeding the creatures is illegal because it encourages the animals to lose their natural fear of humans.
In an e-mail sent April 20th, communications captain Claude Rogers wrote, “It was brought to our attention firefighters are feeding the alligators (this is illegal). The communicators have found [one alligator] by the station, near the dumpster, and where they park their cars. As you can imagine this is making the communicators nervous because they are fearful of walking to their car and their leg becoming dinner. We have notified Animal Control to remove the alligator. In the interim could you ask your crews to stop feeding the gator.”
Rogers later sent another e-mail to Reedy Creek communications employees saying, “Several people have expressed concern of becoming alligator food because the alligator is seen out of the pond near the building, by the dumpster, and near the cars. The firefighters feeding the alligator only aggravates the situation….. Animal Control has been notified and I have spoken to B/C Brown requesting they tell the firefighters to stop feeding the alligator. He has already spoken to members of his crew and has passed this on to the other shifts.”
On June 14th, two-year-old Lane Graveswas dragged into the Seven Seas Lagoon by a gator and later found dead. Since then the resort has posted signs asking guest to stay out of the waters and not to feed the wildlife.