Louisiana is set to launch its first recreational alligator hunt in over 50 years, offering up to 5,000 participants the chance to cull populations that have surged to nearly three million—far exceeding the fewer than 100,000 recorded when hunting was banned in 1962 to protect the species from overharvesting. The hunt, which follows decades of conservation efforts, will operate under strict regulations to manage the rapidly growing alligator population. Authorities hope the controlled hunt will help balance wildlife numbers while allowing limited public engagement. Hunters will need to follow guidelines aimed at ensuring sustainable practices.
State to offer up to 5,000 trappers chance to snare reptiles whose numbers have risen to 3m from fewer than 100,000The first recreational alligator hunt in Louisiana in more than half a century is about to commence in the swamps of that state, with up to 5,000 hopeful trappers facing strict rules in order to snare a reptile.The state’s fish and wildlife commission banned alligator hunting in 1962 to allow the species to recover after decades of unregulated killings for meat and hides dropped numbers there to below 100,000. Continue reading...
