News & Events

April is the beginning of warmer weather in Florida, with sunny days and little rain.  Our club has now grown to more than 220 active members, with activities occurring almost every month.  Our most recent was a trip to Central Florida Animal Reserve (CFAR) on March 29^th.  The Reserve limits attendance in groups, so only the first 25 who registered could participate.  The tour included expert information from several Reserve staffers, including Dr. K. Simba Waltz, CEO and Director.  After a marvelous personal tour the group met offsite for lunch together (see photos below).

Dr. Waltz will be appearing here at Solivita on May 15, 2025, at 10 am in the Starlite Ballroom (see promotional info below).  He will speak to the community about the history and mission of CFAR, the big cats and their unique individual personalities and the importance of helping the prevention of their extinction.  The event is FREE of charge and open to all Solivita residents and their guests.

We received another positive monthly report from our friends at the Florida Wildlife Commission (FWC) for the month of February advising that no alligators were trapped in Solivita during the month of January.  There was a report of a resident claiming that a 7-foot gator had bitten his dog, along with a demand that it be removed.  Obviously, such a claim raises many questions such as, “How did the dog avoid being killed?” and “Where was the dog when the attack occurred?” and “Was the dog on a leash?”   

This increases the need to communicate basic alligator safety rules to all residents, especially during Mating Season. Both males and females hunt are more active and visible during this time moving from pond to pond.  Distractions such as people and traffic will often confuse them as they avoid human interaction.  This will sometimes result in a gator landing on a lawn or driveway.  We need to emphasis the need to not panic, giving any gator plenty of space and time and to simply regain their bearing and disappear.

Parties, social gatherings and other meetings are a great opportunity to “spread the word.”  Don’t be afraid to ask for a moment to tell friends and neighbors how important it is to protect our alligator inhabitants.  You can answer questions and reinforce courage to new residents who have not yet adapted to the realities of Florida.

We actively invite all residents to join our ranks.  Ours is an active social organization that has a very important mission:

Protecting Wildlife from People ~ Protecting People from Wildlife