The Friends of Boyd Hill Nature Preserve and other residents believe that the harvesting of wildlife protected by an adjacent nature preserve must be off limits to hunting. When done illegally, as in this case, it must be prosecuted.
Why is this important?
The supporters of Boyd Hill Nature Preserve and residents of Saint Petersburg have suffered a public loss due to a hunter coming in and illegally harvesting our biggest alligator in a park adjacent to the nature preserve. Naturalists, students, children, tourists and others will no longer be able to come to Boyd Hill Nature Preserve and enjoy looking at the largest alligator many would have ever seen. We believe it is unacceptable for this animal to only be remembered in record books when he could have been admired in person for years to come.
In the case in question, the hunter's permit did not include his hunting in Saint Petersburg, therefore, he must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Beyond this, we ask that new legislation be drafted to protect our city and state from a tragedy like this ever happening again. The hunting of an otherwise protected animal, whose well-being is cultivated throughout his life, is secondary only to allowing hunting within a zoo, and represents outright theft from a community.
