Passport to Texas

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Wildlife Restoration Program

J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area in Port Arthur offers the best alligator habitat in Texas. Amos Cooper is a Natural Resource Specialist at the site.

Murphree Wildlife Management Area was originally bought for waterfowl habitat, but by impounding this area, you actually created excellent habitat for the American Alligators, too. This is probably the most populated habitat that we have in the state.

There’s approximately one alligator per acre of land at J.D. Murphree WMA. And this month, the public’s invited to help census the big lizards during a nighttime count.

First, we give a little orientation and we explain to them, you know, what we do, why we do it, and basically how we do it. We take people out at night on a cruise and we go out and do a count. It’s data that we use. And they get to see first hand that this animal is not trying to jump in the boat with them. Also, we capture some so they can actually get close up to them and touch them and feel them and see what they’re about.

The Nighttime Gator Spotlight Count is Saturday, July 28th. It’s free with admission to the site – you must also have an Annual Public Hunting Permit or Limited Public Use Permit. Reservations are required, and space is limited.

Don’t forget your bug spray.

Log onto passporttotexas.org for registration information.

That’s our show for today…with research and writing help from Loren Seeger…we receive support from the Wildlife Restoration Program…which provides funds for the Private lands and Public Hunting Programs…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

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