Not only do alligators have a negative reputation, they are also misunderstood when it comes to their importance of the wetlands of southern Mississippi and Louisiana. The public may also be pleasantly surprised what happens to after alligators are harvested.
Alligators—like every animal—serve an important role in the ecosystems they live in, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Alligator Program Coordinator Ricky Flynt said.
“In some areas they are vital to the ecosystem. There are things about their habits that help control their surroundings,” Flynt said.
It is a fact that these animals are the apex predator of the wetlands, but their purpose may come as a surprise.
“Alligators feed rapaciously on invasive nutrias, which can cause horrific damage to wetlands by denuding their vegetation,” Flynt said.
The reptiles also tunnel deep depressions known as “gator holes” that can provide reservoirs for fish, birds, turtles and many other wetland creatures, Flynt said.
Alligator hunting season occurs from Aug. 26 to Sept. 5 for public waters and Aug. 26 to Sept. 19 for private lands. Flynt said the purpose of hunting alligators is often misjudged.
“Most people just assume the purpose of alligator season is to limit the population of alligators, which is not the case,” he said. “Without the laws and regulations we have today, there wouldn’t be any alligators around to hunt.”
In 1967, alligators were put on the endangered species list in Mississippi because of an excessive amount of harvesting. However in 1987, the status of the American Alligator was changed to Threatened by Similarity of Appearance—indicating that the American Alligator is a common and secure species, but it does have similar appearances of other species that are endangered, Flynt wrote in his article, “The Recovery of the American Alligator in Mississippi.”
Now, each person that receives a permit to hunt alligators during the season can harvest two—both must be at least 4-feet long and only one can exceed 7-feet, Flynt said, because this reduces the pressure of harvesting large breeding adults and instead balances out the range of alligator sizes for breeding purposes.
After gators are harvested as humanely as possible, every part of the reptile is used.
From consuming the meat to using the bones to make a back scratcher, alligators provide endless possibilities of useful items to consumers throughout the nation.
In Mississippi, there are no official alligator processing plants due to the low volume during the hunting season. Statewide, Flynt said 700 to 900 alligators are harvested each year. In 2015, 982 alligators were harvested in public waters of Mississippi and 119 in private lands, the MDFSP website states.
In Louisiana, 10,000 to 15,000 alligators are harvested each year. Flynt said the reason for such a large difference is because the alligator habitat in Louisiana is almost 30 times larger than that of Mississippi.
In some parts of Mississippi, it has been reported that alligators tend to migrate through residential areas, but most people won’t come into contact with one.
“Alligators are relatively shy creatures and will avoid people naturally,” Flynt said.
If an alligator becomes a nuisance, call the MDWFP regional offices. Do not try and get rid of the alligator alone, Flynt said.