The National tribune., 1902-07-17
GONE TO JOIN THE BISON.
The Florida AIliga.ors Nearly Exterminated
by Hunters.
HDdian polis Nawsl


Persons who visited Florida 20 years
ago and saw the rivers. swamps and
bayous literally teeming with countless
thousands of alligators. will be surprised
to learn that these large reptiles are fast
becoming extinct. The constant and
wholesale warfare that has been waged
against them has thinned them out SO
completely that. unless halt is soon
called, their total determination is only
matter of time. While they were former
ly numerous as far north as Georgia. they
have gradually become extinct until they
are found in great numbers only along the
coast line of the extreme Southern States.
In Florida they are practically extinct,
with the exception Of Manatee, Lee De
Soto and Dade Counties. In the Ever
glades the species have probably been
more numerous than in any other por-
ton of the world. for the reason that it
has been well-nigh impossible to get to
them. In this almost impregnable swamp
nature has defended them so well that il
n hunter succeeded in penetrating it and
killing his game, he was frequently un-
able to secure it.
1t was not until the hide of the saurian
became factor of commerce that its ex-
termination began in earnest. The skins,
when tanned, make excellent leather for
the manufacture of such articles as
trunks, travelling bags, purses, pocket
books and all kinds of leather novelties.
Books are also bound with it. and it is
even utilized for upholstering chairs. Dade
County, on the east coast Of Florida,
sends to market about $4,000 skins an
nually, while the number from the Coun-
ties on the west coast reaches fully 125.-
600 each year. There is one firm in New
Orleans that handles over 100000 skins
annually.
In addition to the wholesale slaughter
of large alligatOrs for commercial pur-
poses, feature of recent development is
the preparation of young ones for the
Summer trade. Dealers pay SIS a hun
dred for the little reptiles while they are
| from ; to 10 inches in length They are
| disemboweled, picked in a preserving So
luton. stiffened by the insertion of wires
| into their bodies, stuffed with sawdust
and then vanished. They are mounted
on pin cushions, pin and jcwelry trays,
paper weights, etc, and retailed at an
average price of 80 cents each. One firm
| in Florida sells every Winter thousands
of these little stuffed gators" to tourists,
and as many more thousands every Sum-
mer at Asbury Park and other Northern
resorts.
| In addition to being preyed upon by the
curio hunter, the young alligator is also
beset by birds of prey and large fish. 1t
is even devoured in great numbers by the
| hardened males of its own species, so
that altogether its young existence is ex-
tremely precarious. 1t is falling by the
wayside at such an alarming rate that
the future of its kind is in serious
| jeopardy.
The saurian lives to ripe old age.
ranging from 100 to $50 years They
| generally travel in groups and the hunter
who bags one looks around for others and
| nearly always finds them. There are sell
dom less than three or four together, and
| sometimes as many as 80.
Since the skins of the alligator have
become such 4 valuable article Of COM
merce, all countries where they thrive are
being secured for them. A New York
firm recently sent a band of Seminole In
dians to India to hunt them. Most of the
skins used in the United States come
| from Mexico. while nearly all. of the pre-
duct of this country goes to Europe.
| Florida formerly produced more skins
than any other portion of the United
States, but now furnishes less than any
| other section where the reptiles are to be
found at all.