Florida Tech Group Develops Sonar Alarm to Spot Alligators Underwater

A deadly alligator attack in Winter Garden this month has renewed questions about safety around Florida's waterways. Meanwhile, a South Florida technology group is working on a system meant to detect alligators and crocodiles before people get too close.

The system, called Croc Alarm, is being developed by Miami-based WildlifeOS. It is designed to combine sonar imaging with artificial intelligence to pick out alligators and crocodiles beneath the surface and give people nearby real-time warnings.

The effort comes amid growing concern about encounters with the reptiles in Florida, where alligators are common in lakes, ponds, canals and other waterways. The Winter Garden attack shocked the local community. In June, a father and son on a fishing trip in Marion County also faced danger when an alligator attacked, and the father tried to pry the animal's jaws open.

According to WildlifeOS founder and CEO Rodolfo Saccoman, Croc Alarm would use active sonar to scan underwater environments continuously, with artificial intelligence helping to identify potential threats. The goal is to give people near the water an added layer of awareness.

Results would be shown through visual indicators and alerts sent to a user's phone. Green would mean no threat has been detected, yellow would mean the system is processing information, and red would mean an alligator or crocodile has been detected nearby.

Saccoman said the company plans to put accuracy first before the technology is widely available. "We will never put this device out at scale unless we're really confident of the accuracy," he said.

The system is still in development. Under the project's current plans, prototypes and real-world testing will come first, with a potential rollout next year.

How well it works will depend on whether it can reliably tell alligators and crocodiles apart from other underwater objects and conditions. Until it has been tested and validated, it should not be treated as a replacement for established wildlife safety practices.

The broader aim of the project is to reduce dangerous encounters between people and wildlife by warning someone before they unknowingly approach a potentially dangerous animal. While developers work toward that goal, Florida residents and visitors are urged to stay cautious around waterways where alligators may be present.