In 2016, 2-year-old Lane Graves was killed during an alligator attack at Florida's Walt Disney World. Investigators ultimately declared that Lane died after being bit on the head and then drowned by the alligator.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office's explained what happened that night: "The alligator first came in head first toward the beach but turned around once it had the child in its mouth and crawled back into the water headfirst."
Disney has worked diligently in the years that have followed to control the alligator population. The park recently revealed that at least 250 alligators have since been removed.
The Orlando Sentinel reported that most of the alligators have been moved to zoos, animal exhibitions, and farms. Some have been euthanized, while others have been caught by trappers who are paid $30 per animal.
Alligators are indigenous to Florida and have been found in the state's marshes and swamps for hundreds of years. Humans have had a difficult time coexisting with the animals at times, and developments, including homes and theme parks, have encroached on their native habitat.
Deby Cassill, a biology professor at the University of South Florida, pointed out that relocating the alligators shouldn't impact the group as a whole in a negative way: "I don't see a harm in removing and euthanizing some of the alligators that are in positions to do what they normally do and that is to find food. We want to keep them away from children and pets as much as possible."
The family of Lane Graves has since tried to turn their devastating loss into a spot of hope for other families. They founded The Lane Thomas Foundation following Lane's death. The organization helps contribute to the cost of nonmedical expenses for families of children who need lifesaving procedures in the family's home state of Nebraska.
Lane's body was recovered on June 15, 2016. Authorities nearly immediately determined the likely cause of death: "Autopsy has to confirm, but there’s likely no question in my mind that the child was drowned by the alligator. The child was found within the immediate area of where he was last seen. It took some time to go through, but our divers were able to locate the body using sonar equipment."
Nick Wiley, then the executive director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, also reassured the public that the alligator in question would be euthanized. "We’re going to look at the five alligators we have taken," he said. "There’s a good chance we already have the alligator because we focused our efforts on that proximity and that area where this occurred. If we can’t get a certain match we’re going to do everything to make sure we have taken that alligator out."
