Managing wild alligator populations is year-round task for wildlife agencies. Alligators are managed through regulated take which includes hunting seasons and personal or property bag limits. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and the N.C. Alligator Task Force are holding three public forums in early November to receive public input on management of American alligators in North Carolina.
Task force members will consider this input as they develop an alligator management plan. Commission staff will not present any proposals for changes in regulations governing alligator hunting. Alligator forums in North Carolina will run from 7 to 9 p.m.
North Carolina Alligator Forum Dates, Locations
- Tuesday, Nov. 1
Leland Town Hall, Council Chambers
102 Town Hall Drive, Leland - Wednesday, Nov. 2
Swansboro Parks and Recreation, Multi-Purpose Room
830 Main Street Ext., Swansboro - Thursday, Nov. 3
Dare County Center, Multi-purpose Room
950 Marshall Collins Drive, Manteo
Alligator Task Force for North Carolina
There is a 15-member North Carolina Alligator Task Force that has been charged with writing an alligator management plan for the state. Members were appointed by Gordon Myers, the Commission’s executive director. The Task force includes private landowners and homeowners, Commission staff and scientists. The charge to the task force is to develop an alligator management plan that includes:
- Evaluation of all available biological information on alligators in North Carolina,
- Identification of knowledge gaps and additional research needed on alligator population demography, historical changes in alligator habitats, and public attitudes and opinions on alligator conservation,
- Identification of areas where alligators may be over-populated and recommend biological and social strategies to address alligator management issues in these areas,
- Recommendations of geographical management zones,
- Recommendations for metrics to establish the number of permits per year that could be issued for opportunities to harvest alligators by hunting where sustainable and consistent with local alligator population, habitat, and social conditions, and
- Recommendations on a framework for gathering public input on the North Carolina Alligator Management Plan.
Those who cannot attend a forum but would like to offer input on alligator hunting and management in North Carolina can submit their comments to Allen Boynton, Wildlife Diversity Program coordinator, at this email address: allen.boynton@ncwildlife.org.