Photo courtesy of Abby Lawson.

Abby Lawson is a PhD student at Clemson University and amazing science communicator (please check out her Twitter feed (@AbsLawson). She studies alligator population ecology in the southeastern United States. According to her website, she is “interested in how biotic and abiotic factors at multiple spatial and organizational scales influence population dynamics.”

Matea recently contacted Abby as part of a class assignment to see how she manages to study alligators in light of the fact that so many people have different opinions on how these animals should be controlled.

Matea: As a result of your data collection which method, in your opinion, was the most effective in conserving the American Alligator population whilst meeting the need of “multiple stakeholders”? Who are these stakeholders? 

Abby: In South Carolina, similar to other states, alligator management can be a controversial subject. As one of the few apex predators in the southeast, many recognize that alligators play an important role in ecosystem structure and function. Alligators create “alligator holes” (deep wetland depressions) that create habitat for other species during drought, and also transport nutrients between separated ecosystems, like marine and freshwater wetlands. However, other stakeholder groups also recognize the importance of alligators and would like to see their populations managed sustainable, but perhaps for different reasons. Alligators are an important game species, that have become popular to hunt in recent years. Alligator hunting also generates important revenue for the state government, which is tasked with managing alligator populations— the majority of my research funding was from the sale of alligator hunting permits. In contrast, others view alligators as a threat or nuisance to their life and property, and would prefer fewer alligators, or to see their range restricted. This is particularly a problem for private landowners who would like to have control over how their land is managed, and their ability to restrict alligator populations on their own property. In sum, we have a diverse mix of stakeholders including conservationists, sport hunters, private land owners, and members of the general public concerned about safety.

As a researcher, I am tasked with building a population model that can predict how alligator populations will respond to management decisions, like restricting or increasing harvest limits. In general, the state management agency I work with seeks to  ensure that the alligator population remains stable, and is composed of natural age and sex ratios, and adjust annual hunting rates based off on continued monitoring efforts. By seeking to maintain, rather than reduce, the alligator population, they are accommodating conservationists, while their decision to allow hunting helps satisfy the game hunting enthusiasts, and those concerned with safety on private lands or otherwise. I think that management plans backed by scientific data and continued monitoring are more likely to have support from diverse stakeholders, than those that are informed by expert opinion or an “educated guess”. Meaning that after I graduate and hand in my final report, it is very important for the managers to continue monitor alligator populations to ensure that their harvest rates are having the intended effect— to maintain a healthy, stable alligator population.

I am also evaluating alligator movement patterns using GPS satellite telemetry. By investigating how alligator movement patterns change within and among years, we can help address safety concerns, and those of private landowners. For example, many movement studies have found that alligators move more during the spring when they are breeding. Not surprisingly, spring is also when state agencies (not just South Carolina) get the most alligator nuisance complaints— after which, the offending alligator is euthanized, not relocated. A better understanding of movement patterns could inform outreach efforts to advise citizens on contacting nuisance control agents— for example, alligators are often “just passing through” during spring, but if spotted other times of year, they may be taking up residence.

Additionally, visualizing alligator movement patterns is also a powerful learning tool for landowners and the general public. With the marked alligators in my study, I have seen many individuals regularly travel between private, public wildlife reserves (closed to hunting), and public wildlife management areas that are open to hunting. In short, alligators don’t obey political boundaries!

Thank you so much Abby for taking the time to answer Matea’s question so thoughtfully and completely. Our class really appreciates it!