SANFORD, Fla. — Alligator season has officially begun in Florida and hunters have already headed to the water this week.
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This year, they are able to hunt for 24 hours a day. But for some, the concept is controversial.
One group held a protest in Sanford Saturday to address their concerns and rally for alligator rights.
Protesters from the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida said people should not be allowed to hunt alligators at all.
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Gator hunters at the Black Hammock in Oviedo have a different opinion.
Hunter Harry Austin said gator hunting is just what people do in Florida.
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“I think gator hunting is part of Florida, it’s what we’ve always been part of,” he said. “It brings us closer to the wildness that we have and it’s also doing our job as Floridians, keeping the numbers down.”
Bryan Wilson, the central Florida coordinator for the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida, said alligators can control their own population.
“Prior to the 1970s, alligators were hunted almost to extinction and there was a brief pause on alligator hunting and how do we reward them? By a 24-hour hunt,” he said.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, there are about 1.3 million alligators across Florida.
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The state has more than 15,000 people who apply for 7,500 permits each year.
The season runs through November 1.
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