Alligators
By Susan Tart

The recent deaths from alligator attacks have brought national attention to Florida. What may surprise you is that alligators also live in North Carolina. However, this hasn't changed the way of life for many North Carolinians.

There has never actually been a death from an alligator attack in North Carolina, and most people here seem to think there won't be. People still swim, fish and kayak in gator territories.

Houston Smith has grown up fishing in the Lake Waccamaw region. He doesn't think the gators are a risk.

"As long as you don't mess with them, they won't mess with you," said Houston.

Alligators are native to eastern North Carolina. Carolina gators aren't as big or as aggressive as Florida gators, but their numbers have grown over the past few years. Still, UNC-Chapel Hill student Justin Smith says there's little reason to fear.

"I think one of the things about Lake Waccamaw that's different than Florida is we don't have a lot of tourists here, we mainly have insiders, you know, we only have a few restaurants, and we don't have a single hotel here, so most of the people who would interact with the alligators have been doing so for years and they kind of know the rules," said Smith.

State Park Ranger Shane Freeman agreed with Smith.

"I think you'd probably have a much better chance of being struck by lightening than actually being attacked by an alligator in North Carolina."

Freeman said most North Carolinians seem to respect the alligators, and there aren't enough tourists that want to feed them. However, if people become too friendly with the alligators, then there might be reason to worry.