As it turns out, there might be a compelling reason why the alligator who snatched and killed 2-year-old Lane Graves from the Disney-owned Grand Floridian Resort & Spa last month did not hesitate to approach the child. According to emails that were recently obtained from a public-records request, about two months before the fatal incident, Disney firefighters had been feeding a couple of alligators in the area.

In fact, the emails were found to have been sent by Reedy Creek Emergency Services, A Disney-owned firm which provides government services to theme parks as well as the surrounding areas. Back in April, Claude Rogers, a communications captain, sent an email to the firefighters in the area.

"It was brought to our attention firefighters are feeding the alligators (this is illegal). The communicators have found one alligator by the station, near the dumpster, and where they park their cars," Rogers stated in his email.  

"As you can imagine this is making the communicators nervous because they are fearful of walking to their car and their leg becoming dinner. We have notified Animal Control to remove the alligator. In the interim could you ask your crews to stop feeding the gator."

In another email, this time, sent to Reedy Creek communications employees, Rogers reiterated his warnings about the dangers of alligators in the area. He also doubled down on his request for the firefighters to stop feeling the wild animals.

"Several people have expressed concern about becoming alligator food because the alligator is seen out of the pond near the building, by the dumpster, and near the cars. The firefighters feeding the alligator only aggravates the situation," Rogers wrote in the email.  

"Animal Control has been notified and I have spoken to B/C Brown requesting they tell the firefighters to stop feeding the alligator. He has already spoken to members of his crew and has passed this on to the other shifts."

Even before Rogers sent his emails to the Reedy Creek employees, dispatcher Dan Lewis also sent alerts to officials, including the communications captain, about the gator problem in the area.

"Could y'all tell the ops side to stop feeding these alligators, we think we have 2. They are coming out in the parking lot much more than others in the past and WE are the ones who have to walk in that parking lot every day and in the dark. They are not docile gators, they are mean and they are out looking for food because people are feeding them. It's getting uncomfortable," Lewis stated.

Disney World has not released an official statement about the emails as of writing. 

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