Current:Home > FinanceAn alligator was spotted floating along Texas' Brazos River. Watch the video.-LoTradeCoin
An alligator was spotted floating along Texas' Brazos River. Watch the video.
View Date:2025-01-11 22:36:19
An alligator spotting in Texas' Brazos River has sparked concerns among nearby residents.
The alligator was seen Sunday by Shelbi Todaro, a resident of Waco, a city about 100 miles south of Dallas. The gator was swimming underneath the suspension bridge at Indian Spring Park. Todaro captured the video of the reptile swimming and posted the videos to Facebook.
Watch the alligator float in the river below.
Todaro told MySA that she spotted the animal while she was running on the sidewalk by the river. She initially thought it was a snapping turtle but discovered it was an alligator upon closer inspection.
"I was really excited," Todaro told USA TODAY. "I love all animals, especially reptiles. I stayed for about an hour and just watched it float along."
'Really lucky':Florida woman bit on head by 9-foot alligator walks away with scratches
Previous spotting
Lerrin Johnson, a Wildlife Public Information Officer at Texas Wildlife Department told USA TODAY that the department's staff believes that, based on size and location, the alligator spotted Sunday is the same one that was seen in the area in September.
"Though they are not commonly seen in the Waco area and do not have a breeding population, it is still on the western edge of the normal range for the American Alligator," said Johnson.
Reptile transported
When the alligator was spotted back in September, city officials had told the Waco Tribune-Herald that it was unlikely the alligator had reached the Brazos River on its own. They believed that someone had probably transported the alligator to the river.
“Based on looking at the head and size of its body parts, that is most likely a wild alligator transported from Louisiana or East Texas and released,” Brian Henley, an animal care supervisor at the Cameron Park Zoo had told the Tribune-Herald.
Henley said that the alligator did not look more than 3 or 4 years old.
'Let the gator be'
City and state game warden officials said they intend to let the alligator be, though they warn the public to avoid harassing or feeding it.
The officer further said that the alligator is "exhibiting normal foraging behavior" and that his office will continue to monitor the reptile's location.
"TPWD does not currently see a need for removal as long as the public steers clear of the alligator and does not harass or feed it," said Johnson.
What to know:Mysterious respiratory dog illness detected in several states
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.
veryGood! (42)
Related
- Quincy Jones laid to rest at private family funeral in Los Angeles
- California governor signs bill making insurance companies pay for IVF treatment
- Kristin Cavallari Shares Glimpse Inside New Home After Mark Estes Breakup
- Exclusive: Watch the rousing trailer for Disney+'s 'Music by John Williams'
- Prominent conservative lawyer Ted Olson, who argued Bush recount and same-sex marriage cases, dies
- Pac-12 building college basketball profile with addition of Gonzaga
- Kate Hudson's mother Goldie Hawn gushes over her music career: 'She's got talent'
- Would Suits’ Sarah Rafferty Return for the L.A. Spinoff? She Says…
- Miami Marlins hiring Los Angeles Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough as manager
- John Amos, patriarch on ‘Good Times’ and an Emmy nominee for the blockbuster ‘Roots,’ dies at 84
Ranking
- Champions Classic is for elite teams. So why is Michigan State still here? | Opinion
- A chemical cloud moving around Atlanta’s suburbs prompts a new shelter-in-place alert
- 'The civil rights issue of our generation'? A battle over housing erupts in Massachusetts
- Two nominees for West Virginia governor agree to Oct. 29 debate
- Why Josh O'Connor Calls Sex Scenes Least Sexy Thing After Challengers With Zendaya and Mike Faist
- Erin Foster Shares Where She Stands With Step-Siblings Gigi Hadid and Brody Jenner
- Are oats healthy? Here's how to make them an even better breakfast.
- Opinion: Pete Rose knew the Baseball Hall of Fame question would surface when he died
Recommendation
-
Seattle man faces 5 assault charges in random sidewalk stabbings
-
Woman who lost husband and son uses probate process to obtain gunman’s records
-
Nearly $32 million awarded for a large-scale solar project in Arkansas
-
Taylor Swift’s Makeup Artist Lorrie Turk Reveals the Red Lipstick She Wears
-
Who will be in the top 12? Our College Football Playoff ranking projection
-
As heat rises, California kids are sweltering in schools with no air conditioning
-
Texas set to execute Garcia Glen White, who confessed to 5 murders. What to know.
-
Tallulah Willis Shares “Forever” Memories of Dad Bruce Willis Amid His Health Battle