RALEIGH, N.C. (May 27, 2026) — The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) is advising coastal residents and visitors not to feed or interact with alligators. NCWRC’s Wildlife Helpline biologists are currently receiving several calls per day as public encounters with alligators increase during the spring through summer. NCWRC advises residents and visitors to be GatorWise® to safely coexist with this native species in coastal counties.
“May and June are mating season for alligators which means they are moving around more,” said NCWRC’s Alligator Biologist Alicia Wassmer. “Warmer weather also brings more people outside, so reports of encounters increase.”
Wildlife Management District Biologist John Henry Harrelson covers nine counties in the southern Coastal Plain, including Brunswick and Columbus. He is encountering more alligators with less fear of humans – a dangerous consequence of being fed by people…