Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

With more alligators spotted by the public in residential areas, you might think you’d be better off selling your home. The fact is… there’s no need to panic if and when you see a gator in your neighborhood.

10 — We’re just trying to help people put it in perspective. People will begin to see more and more alligators in the future and not every alligator is going to be a problem.

Greg Creacy is a wildlife biologist currently based in Bastrop. He says horror movies and attacks by the more dangerous, and non-native crocodiles have caused people to be afraid of Texas alligators.

16 — The number of attacks by alligators in the US each year is less than injuries and fatalities from dogs, scorpions, snakes and sharks…all of those are much more dangerous to people than alligators.

So what do you do if you see an alligator? Keep a safe distance from them and keep pets away from them. Don’t swim in an area where there are alligators…and don’t feed them.

07 — Because people have fed that alligator they’ve broken down their natural fear that alligator has for people.

That’s our show for today…For information on living with alligators, as well as research reports and basic natural history, visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife Website.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.