Gators to be removed from Englewood community where woman was killed

A community where a woman was killed by two alligators is now being allowed to remove the reptiles.

Rose Wiegand, 80, fell into a pond near her Boca Royale home while trimming grass near the seawall and was attacked on July 15.

The permit allows Boca Royale to remove 25 gators from the pond. The permit is through Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program or “SNAP.” The Community gets a permit if the gator or gators pose a threat to people, pets or property. The gator also has to be at 4-feet.

But neighbors said they are not sold on the idea.

They think it’s the responsibility of individuals as people to stay away from the gators’ habitat.

Rose Wiegand died in July after she was attacked by gators in her Englewood neighborhood. (CREDIT: Courtesy)In the weeks since Wiegand’s death, WINK News has learned the neighborhood made efforts to warn people about the gators.

The Boca Wildlife Education Committee fought to get gator warning signs placed along the water, but the general manager and the property manager rejected the proposal because the signs did not include all wildlife.

“I think it’s our job to stay away. I really do. They have to have a place to live as well,” said Boca Royale resident Phil Stutzman.

The gator warnings went up last week with messages like “don’t feed the gators.

“I think people already know that. But I guess I need to be reminded. It’s not the first instance in Englewood of something happening. But it would sure be nice about it was the last,” Stutzman said.