Current:Home > FinanceAn alligator was spotted floating along Texas' Brazos River. Watch the video. -GrowthSphere Strategies
An alligator was spotted floating along Texas' Brazos River. Watch the video.
TrendPulse View
Date:2025-04-11 08:48:38
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! (9374)
Related
- Gen. Mark Milley's security detail and security clearance revoked, Pentagon says
- Here Are Martha Stewart's Top Wellness Tips to Live Your Best Life
- 5 young women preparing for friend's wedding killed in car crash: The bright stars of our community
- A Young Farmer Confronts Climate Change—and a Pandemic
- Gen. Mark Milley's security detail and security clearance revoked, Pentagon says
- Anne Hathaway's Stylist Erin Walsh Explains the Star's Groundbreaking Fashion Era
- 1 dead, at least 22 wounded in mass shooting at Juneteenth celebration in Illinois
- 24-Hour Flash Deal: Save $225 on the Dyson Ball Animal 3 Extra Upright Vacuum
- Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report finds
- Transcript: Sen. Richard Blumenthal on Face the Nation, June 18, 2023
Ranking
- Jorge Ramos reveals his final day with 'Noticiero Univision': 'It's been quite a ride'
- FDA pulls the only approved drug for preventing premature birth off the market
- Oceans Are Melting Glaciers from Below Much Faster than Predicted, Study Finds
- Q&A: Plug-In Leader Discusses Ups and Downs of America’s E.V. Transformation
- Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
- Pipeline Payday: How Builders Win Big, Whether More Gas Is Needed or Not
- In Montana, Children File Suit to Protect ‘the Last Best Place’
- 'Therapy speak' is everywhere, but it may make us less empathetic
Recommendation
The FBI should have done more to collect intelligence before the Capitol riot, watchdog finds
Attacks on Brazil's schools — often by former students — spur a search for solutions
'You forget to eat': How Ozempic went from diabetes medicine to blockbuster diet drug
Biden administration says fentanyl-xylazine cocktail is a deadly national threat
Military service academies see drop in reported sexual assaults after alarming surge
29 Grossly Satisfying Cleaning Products With Amazing Results
ICN’s ‘Harvesting Peril’ Wins Prestigious Oakes Award for Environmental Journalism
This Week in Clean Economy: West Coast ‘Green’ Jobs Data Shows Promise