European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 13, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Arming booms in Florida Hyjan Sutton United fess internal Onala la Gator farms Are up moing up Al an unprecedented Rale in Florida where hourly ranchers arc hoping to Cash in on Iho fashionably lucrative hides and Iho expanding Maikel or Galor meal there arc now 33 licensed Alligator arms in Florida up from just seven in the Lale 1970s, said Dennis David a researcher with the Florida game and Freshwater fish commission even the Sale has Gonen in on inc acl operating a Breeding Arm in Gainesville thai Sells half hangs to Iho Lar Mars the Alligator is now being raised just like you d raise chickens it s an  business " said i Ank Godwin preside no o Gator land Zdy in Orlando Lite most Galois arms. Iho 38 year old tourist Allrn Clion has Leon raising inc animals commercially Only since the Alligator  Laken Oil the endangered species list in Florida in inc Lale 1970s Gator ranching 15 nol a of Foi the Impala Cut. The undisciplined or the limit 1 you re dealing win a void deadly animal an animal Hal can maim or kill you Wlsh ease said David Chieten. Who has 1.200 adult Allig lots and 200 adult crocodiles Al tvs Gat Orama Larm and Hounsl All Rachon in Palmdale Flatt lakes at least 10 acres and $250.000 to snarl an Alligator Larm Andrj three years for Iho  to grow to Harv Cal size of 6 look said Tom slice a Galor Peiperl with the commission Galor ranchers arc also sub act to san genl and rapidly changing taws governing everything from the Sale of the Moal to he sue of the pen Iho animals can be Kepi in it s Deli Macly nol a Fly by night operation slice said the Boom in Galor farming has been spurred by record High prices Foi hides lulled by pent up demand during the years when gators we d scarce. Unplanned skins Sefl Lof up to $35 a linear loot finished skins measured Widl Wise around the belly Brig $10 to $12 a centimetre Lor top grades there s a shortage and a i remenczous  said Thielen Galor land which has 5,000 alligators and Slaughters 1,000 a year processes the meat and manufactures  Sells leather goods on the premises without Iho middlemen. The company soils Galor skin attache cases of $2.000. Women s purses for $500 to � 1,000 and Alligator boots for Aboul $300 the same items easily bring iwo or three limes that in new York pans and London. Godwin said the popularity of its hide Pul the Florida Alligator on the endangered species list m 1966 Stancl pro Lechon helped the population rebound and. Although they Are no longer endangered anywhere in the nation Iho Galor Trade is still rigidly controlled killing an Alligator without Sulho Nealion is a third degree Telony sub cello fines of up to 15 000 Wilh a mandatory 30 Days in jail Alligator trappers Farmers and processors All must Purchase s2bo licences and mus place numbered lags on each hide of chunk of Noat they sell. Buyers Sellers middlemen oven restaurants must record purchases and sales listing the tag numbers and the weight of Iho meat or length of Iho hide the Sale periodically to spoils those records comparing to buyers against the Sehrs it s checked All the Paydown the line said slice in addition to Iho Arm population Florida has a wild Alligator population estimated Al Well Over 1 million enough thai the legislature approved a Bill permitting spoil Hunters to kill 7,000 in i3b8 some 45 to 50 Hunters Are Aho licensed to Iraq and kill nuisance alligators Ilia game and Freshwater fish commission logged 6 000 complaints last year irom unhappy suburbanites Wilh alligators in choir canals lawns and swimming pools a Bill passed in july will allow Farmers to supplement Niheu Stock by taking up to 10 000 hatchling is and 4.000 eggs irom the wild this year combined with of Loci changes in the Laws thai should bring the Harvest up to 25.000 hires a year by 1990, nearly Lour limes last year s Harvest of 5,500 so Aleido Galor Lar Mars expect in will be Hinc to live years before they can produce enough alligators to Moel Cir Cut demand Tor hides and once the Supply is steady the demand could become even stronger until an adequate Supply is available. Ire High fashion people won 1 Commil a budget to promoting Sale of Alligator hides said thick in 1 you d be surprised at the number of people who still Zhirik the Alligator is an endangered species and that you should 1 be using the ical Hor said Godwin Alligator meal b also enjoying a surge in popularity now that Iho Supply is steady enough to make in a restaurant Shaplo the average 6-Footcr yields about 20 pounds o meal. The Alligator meat itself 15 Quile tasty wore and More res Laurants Are pulling it on their menus and nol just As a Noyemy  said Godwin through the combined Sale of the hide and meat Farmers Are reporting protits of $100 to $200 per Adwill animal Bui Galor farming