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The South Padre Island Birding, Nature Center & Alligator Sanctuary is warning residents to be wary of alligators as May marks the peak breeding season for the species.
The warning comes days after a 10-and-a-half foot alligator was recovered in a drainage ditch behind a residence in Bayview.
“The alligator was partially blind. It’s a common thing with alligators,” Javier Gonzalez, a nature educator at the center, said Wednesday. “Their eyes get injured or they go blind for one reason or other.”
The center was called to assist the game warden in retrieving the alligator.
According to Gonzalez, it is not uncommon for alligator sightings to become more common as the temperatures begin to rise. He said that April and May are when alligators begin their courtship process.
“We’ve been getting plenty of other calls about alligators recently, as expected, because it’s right in the peak of mating season,” Gonzalez said. “So, gators are wandering around, not just looking for mates, but the big males are kicking out the smaller ones from territories. So they’re trying to find new places to go. They end up in weird spots.”
Gonzalez said that alligators will generally avoid people; however, if an alligator has been fed, it will become used to people which then creates more problems for both people and the alligators.
“Most of the time, these alligators are turned into nuisances because of people’s inappropriate behavior around them,” Gonzalez said. “People are feeding them and stuff, which is illegal. These alligators are very smart. Once they start getting fed by people, then they lose their natural fear of people and they’ll start seeing people as a food source. So, they become dangerous. Otherwise, they want nothing to do with you.”
He said that those alligators will be taken to the sanctuary.
As for the large alligator from last week, Gonzalez said that he did not appear to be acclimated to people. The alligator was safely relocated to Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge — roughly six miles into the refuge where there’s plenty of freshwater.
Gonzalez said that caution should be exercised throughout the summer months, the alligators’ nesting period, due to mothers being protective of their young.
“They’re not normally out to get you,” Gonzalez said, referring to female alligators. “They don’t attack people. They’ll usually give you a warning.”
If you do happen to come across an alligator in the wild, Gonzalez said that it is best to leave them alone and show them some respect.
“Respect them, keep your distance and do not feed them,” he said. “Let them be. If you know places that have alligators, don’t go swimming in there — especially at night when they’re most active. Be aware and just know that alligators can disappear in just a few feet of water.”
“They’re ambush predators. Even if you don’t see them, it doesn’t mean that they’re not in there.”
Anyone who sees an individual feeding alligators is encouraged to call the Texas Parks and Wildlife because it’s against the law.
People can learn more about the alligators by attending one of the center’s three daily “Gator Talks” at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. For more information, visit SPIbirding.com.
Monitor staff writer Valerie Gonzalez contributed to this story.
