On June 12, a gay bar shooting in Orlando, Florida occurred killing fifty people. Two days later, in Orlando, Florida a small child was taken by an alligator at a Disney resort. The child’s body was found by local police with a minimum amount of teethmarks and damage, while the same cannot be said for the killing of five alligators. These alligators had their bodies ripped open as an attempt by search parties to see if the boy’s body was inside, but the body was bitten once as it was dragged and then left to drown when the alligator was surprised. It turns out that the parents were actually witness to their son being dragged away by the reptile, since the father and other witnesses attempted to save the child but it was already too late. The boy drowned and died in the murky waters.
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Disney had posted signs saying “No Swimming” by the lake where the boy was taken, but where locals and other cautious tourists are aware of the roaming tendencies that can carry alligators far into human territories, the boy’s parents were unaware most likely thinking that their child would be fine if the boy stood near the water. In light of the incident, Disney has now decided to place signs that specifically mention the possible presence of alligators in the water. Truly, I feel terrible for the parents to have witnessed the death of their own toddler. To be only a few feet from being able to save such a young life. However, I also feel that it seemed unnecessary to gather these numbers of alligators for the purpose of cutting them open as a means to examine whether or not the boy’s body was inside. I do not see the logic in blaming a wild animal for doing as it has always done in its habitat. Florida itself is a state well-known for not only its oranges but its large number of alligator incidents. This is not the first, nor I doubt, the last time that an alligator will wander into human spaces.
It is good that Disney is taking more efforts in placing warning signs for tourists who might not have been aware of what dangers await in the place they were going to. The idea that Disney, a place of wonder and enchantment for children and families everywhere could be dangerous might be a far-removed idea for those who prefer to don rose-colored glasses. Honestly, I would be devastated if someone I cared for had been hurt in such a way, but I do not believe ignorance of the dangers and lands a person visits can excuse needless amounts of killing. After the Harambe incident, one would think that there is a clear understanding that blaming a wild animal who functions purely on the instinct to survive cannot be truly accountable for its own actions. I understand that the search party wanted to find the body, but to decide that one alligator was to blame for the incident seems ridiculous. As for Disney’s lack of specificity in their signs, an argument can be made that they are to blame, but if a visitor were to be more aware of the dangers that are prominent in the land they are visiting, then I cannot say that sole responsibility lies with the resort. Once again, hindsight provides more vision in the aftermath of an incident instead of during. I wish the family well in hopes that they are able to recover from their grief, but I stand by my decision that the animal itself cannot be blamed for doing as it always has. Personally, I prefer to stay far away from the bodies of water, whenever I visit Florida because I will never know if and when an alligator may be lurking in the water.
