To answer some of these questions, research began on Kiawah in the spring of 2015. The late Professor Louis Guillette, Jr. of the Medical University of South Carolina and the Hollings Marine Laboratory led the team. Since Lou’ s very untimely death in August 2015, his colleagues and graduate students have continued his work. Dr. Thomas Rainwater of the Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science is now the team leader and permit holder. Town of Kiawah biologist, Jim Jordan, and the head of the Kiawah Island Community Association Lakes Division, Matt Hill, are also now participating.
The team found that Kiawah is a prime site for alligator research. Not only is the population larger than expected, but they also found Kiawah to be an excellent venue for educating the public about the animals. As many of our ponds are easily accessible to residents and tourists, the team could explain what they were doing and talk about alligator biology and behavior. Further, it has been a very useful site for comparison with others places they have studied gators, such as the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and other sites in South Carolina.
During the 2015 season the team captured 10 females and 22 males, all of reproductive age. They also took eggs from one nest. After incubating the eggs in the laboratory, they returned the hatchlings to the pond where the nest was located.“ Mom” promptly returned to care for her young.
The alligators are captured with techniques the team has used for alligators and crocodiles in many locations in the United States, South Africa, and Belize. The animal is snagged with a large, blunt hook and then with a noose. After getting the animal ashore they cover its eyes and tape the powerful jaws shut. They then work quickly to take biological samples( blood, urine, and skin), and measure the animal. Usually within 20 minutes, the animal is released to its home. One side effect of the capture of alligators is that they then have a healthy respect for humans. The alligators of Kiawah, particularly the older ones, have lived around people for their entire lives. Tourists have even fed some, a very bad and illegal practice. After a gator has been captured, biologists have observed that the animal will move away from people as quickly as possible.
The reason for collecting body fluids from the animals is to assess the effect of possible environmental contaminants on their health, particularly their reproductive health. Of the
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