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The selling of baby alligators was common before 1967 (when they were listed as an endangered species). This practiced led to one of the most popular and persistent urban legends -alligators living in New York (and other city) sewers. The idea was that tourists who purchased the immature alligators soon tired of the pets once they returned home and disposed of them through their toilets. The gators then allegedly prospered in the warm sewers, feeding on rats, and growing to massive proportions. While no evidence of their presence exists, that has not stopped writers and filmmakers from capitalizing on the fantastical idea.
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Tourist souvenirs and other forms of popular entertainment featuring alligators were common by the 20th Century. Alligators were featured on everything from T-shirts, mugs, and postcards to movies, television programs and popular fiction. The postcard reads: "An old timer in Florida."
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Members of the Today Show, Hugh Downs and Arlene Francis, are at the right.
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The postcard reads: "A Native of Florida."
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The name "Joe" has been applied to numerous alligators across the state, most famously at Wakulla Springs. This postcard is titled "Caught by Joe."
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Copyrighted by Havens 1893.
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Postcard was titled "Safely Back to Jacksonville."
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While human encounters with alligators have proven fatal in a few cases (usually from infection or blood loss - not digestion), humans are not on the alligator's natural menu. In most cases, attacks occur because an alligator mistakes a human for smaller prey. However, a few cases arise from an alligator's perception of being threatened, or in rare cases, out of protection of their nests and young. The feeding of alligators can increase the occurrences of unwanted human-alligator encounters as alligators begin to associate humans with food.
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University of Florida chose the alligator as their mascot in 1911. Today their main rivals are the Florida State University's Seminoles, a rivalry mirrored in both legend and many tourist attractions featuring Seminole alligator wrestling.
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Home of the annual Gator Bowl (first held in 1946), the stadium was first built in 1949 (an earlier version of the stadium was called Fairfield Stadium and was considerably smaller). Today it has been converted into the Jacksonville Municipal Stadium and is home to the Jacksonville Jaguars. This image was taken during a Gator Bowl game between Auburn University and Baylor University in 1954.
