Best place to live in the Ft Lauderdale area?

[Mr. Lee]

Originally Posted by Papillons2

This. If you move here, alligators and snakes should be among the least of your concerns.

Not that we don't have our share of critters here. During the course of a typical day/night, it's not unusual for me (even as a city dweller) to encounter iguanas and other varieties of lizards, frogs, snails, squirrels, opossums, raccoons, rats, Muscovy ducks, egrets, ibises, turkey vultures (during the winter) and feral parrots, among other creatures. But I've yet to see a snake in my yard over the years, and the only time I've witnessed alligators is on visits to the Everglades.

I guess it might help if you post where in Fort Lauderdale you live, I lived in two different parts of Davie, have friends who live in other west communities and all of us have had snakes, and alligators have been found in Weston, Sunrise. Parkland and other areas.

Shadow over sunshine state as three women killed in a week In the first attack in Sunrise, south Florida, a 2.9-metre (9ft 6in) alligator killed a student, Yovy Suarez Jimenez, as she jogged beside a canal. A medical examiner concluded that the 28-year-old was dragged into the water. The reptile was captured and killed at the weekend with the victim's arms still in its stomach.

Large alligator removed from Parkland porch on live TV
Gator was 8-foot, 3-inches long

While alligators are not common and have rarely bothered people or even been seen by most Broward residents, discounting them totally in West Broward County would be doing a disservice to the op, and snakes are fairly common out west.

Also there are crocodiles in the waterways near 441 and the FPL power plant, I have personally seen them there.

Crocodiles turning up in Broward, Palm Beach There have been no documented attacks on people in South Florida, the only part of the United States with crocodiles, although biologists won't rule out the possibility.

None of this is something to be afraid of as long as a person does not go swimming in lakes and waterways.

[ruski]

^^^ Also that woman that got killed by an alligator was 10 years ago, and she sat on the bank of a canal near Markham Park (quite outside of Weston).

[Papillons2]

Originally Posted by Mr. Lee

I guess it might help if you post where in Fort Lauderdale you live, I lived in two different parts of Davie, have friends who live in other west communities and all of us have had snakes, and alligators have been found in Weston, Sunrise. Parkland and other areas.

Sorry if I offended you. I do live relatively far east, Imperial Point/south Pompano area -- although in the limited sample size I've encountered out west (including visits to a brother-in-law who used to live on the water in Weston), I've never seen an alligator or snakes. Never seen snakes around the houses I own -- even though I spend a lot of time outside doing yard work on days off.

It wasn't my intention to discount a possible danger. Obviously, if you're going to spend a lot of time in less urbanized habitats in which snakes and alligators are known to live, you'd best be careful. I was simply trying inject some humor (which I think the Broward forum could use on occasion to take the edge off some of the vitriol and bellicosity that sometimes infests these threads) into the conversation. Obviously, as is often the case, I failed miserably.

But I still stand by the original point. Snakes and alligators shouldn't scare someone away from living here, nor does one need to live in fear of them.

[Mr. Lee]

Originally Posted by ruski

^^^ Also that woman that got killed by an alligator was 10 years ago, and she sat on the bank of a canal near Markham Park (quite outside of Weston).

City of Weston
Weston residents need to be familiar with necessary precautions
Alligators - It is likely that at one time or another, you may see an alligator in or near the water bodies.

Again, some people never get to see one ever, I have seen some in Weston when I was working out that way. When living out west, chances of contact with wildlife is increased.

[Mr. Lee]

Originally Posted by Papillons2

Sorry if I offended you. I do live relatively far east, Imperial Point/south Pompano area -- although in the limited sample size I've encountered out west (including visits to a brother-in-law who used to live on the water in Weston), I've never seen an alligator or snakes. Never seen snakes around the houses I own -- even though I spend a lot of time outside doing yard work on days off.

It wasn't my intention to discount a possible danger. Obviously, if you're going to spend a lot of time in less urbanized habitats in which snakes and alligators are known to live, you'd best be careful. I was simply trying inject some humor (which I think the Broward forum could use on occasion to take the edge off some of the vitriol and bellicosity that sometimes infests these threads) into the conversation. Obviously, as is often the case, I failed miserably.

But I still stand by the original point. Snakes and alligators shouldn't scare someone away from living here, nor does one need to live in fear of them.

Not a problem for me, I just want people to know what they might be getting into if they move west, the father west, the more likely contact might be with different forms of wildlife.

I worked for years all over Broward and Palm Beach Counties as a part time wildlife officer, believe me, I have seen it all and heard many complaints and responded to some. The problem with alligators is that some foolish people feed some of them, which BTW is illegal, thus the animals become encouraged to come looking for food from humans, thus the danger to other people who come in contact with those same alligators.

Too many people foolishly think alligators are cute and try to hand feed them, the girl killed in Sunrise might have tried to feed the alligator or the gator may have been used to being fed, thus may have approached her we will never know but those things can be avoided as long as people use common sense, a wild animal is not a pet to play with.

[MrKnight]

Originally Posted by Matches Malone

Thanks for your response. Wouldn't rent prices be more expensive in the downtown areas you mentioned? I'm trying to get a decent, good looking place for cheap that will leave me lots of income to do many things. I don't want to spend too much on rent.

With a 70k salary you can easily afford an apartment in these areas with plenty of breathing room. In genera, the COL in Florida is lower than other parts of the country..

[ruski]

Originally Posted by Mr. Lee

Again, some people never get to see one ever, I have seen some in Weston when I was working out that way. When living out west, chances of contact with wildlife is increased.

I have lived in Weston for 16 years and saw one tiny alligator off South Post Rd (edge of the town).