ORLANDO, Fla. – Thursday marked two years since a toddler was fatally attacked by a gator on Disney's man-made Seven Seas Lagoon.
People who spoke with News 6 said Disney is doing the right thing by removing the alligators. The relocation effort includes all bodies of water on Disney grounds, from its theme parks to its hotels.
Recommended Videos
"If it's for the safety of the people and the safety of the animals, that's usually what's more important," visitor John Lapointe said.
Two-year-old Lane Thomas Graves was killed June 14, 2016, when an alligator dragged him into the water at the Seven Seas Lagoon at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, responsible for removing nuisance alligators, released updated numbers Thursday on its efforts to remove alligators alligators from Disney grounds.
Prior to the child's death, 45 alligators were removed in a 15-month period. In the next 15 months, from June 2016 to September 2017, 95 alligators were removed.
Now the FWC is saying that from January 2016 to June 2018, 139 alligators have been removed.
[RELATED STORY: News 6 gets a firsthand account of alligator trapping]
"I'm sure there's plenty of alligators around here, but I wouldn't think they would be in such a close space with so many people" Lapointe said.
News 6 asked Disney what safety measures it has been taking since the attack. Disney sent the following statement:
"In keeping with our strong commitment to safety, we continue to reinforce procedures related to reporting sightings and interactions with wildlife, and work closely with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to remove or relocate certain wildlife from our property in accordance with state regulations."
According to the FWC, the removal of all these alligators does not have a significant impact on Florida's 1.3 million gator population.