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- East End Park

^{Lake Houston
Alligator Sightings Increasing}

^{Hundreds of alligators live in
Lake Houston. They are so rarely
seen that most people refuse to
believe they are there. Last week, a
Kingwood photographer, Mike Beswick,
spotted five of the reptiles
Saturday morning at dawn near the
boat launch in River Grove Park.}

^{The gators approached him in an
aggressive manner and he retreated.
This, according to the experts, is
precisely what he should have done.}

^{Don’t panic if you see an
alligator. According to Texas Parks
and Wildlife Captain Game Warden
Albert Lynch, “Gators have a natural
fear of humans.” If you give them
room to retreat, they usually will,
say the experts. And that is
precisely what the River Grove
alligators eventually did.}

^{No one has ever been harmed by an
alligator in Kingwood that KSA knows
of.}

^{Alligators are most often seen in
spring and summer when moving to
breed and find new habitat. If you
hear an alligator hiss, it’s a
warning that you are too close. Back
away slowly. Over short distances,
alligators can move faster than
Olympic sprinters; they have been
clocked at 35 miles per hour! They
haven’t survived millions of years
because they are slow and lethargic.}

^{Alligators are most often seen
basking at the edge of rivers or
bayous. As cold-blooded animals,
they need heat from the sun to
elevate their body temperture.
Basking alligators sometimes have
their jaws open. According to Texas
Parks and Wildlife, this is not a
threat display. They are simply
trying to regulate body heat.}

^{Worry however if an alligator
comes straight toward you,
especially if it leaves the water.
Chances are, it is hungry or
defending a nest. Back away slowly.}

^{Never feed an alligator. This
teaches them that humans are an easy
food source and they will soon
become a threat to the community.}

^{When walking dogs, keep them on
leash near water. Alligators may see
curious pets as easy prey. And
remember, alligators can hold their
breath for 45 minutes as they
conceal themselves in as little as
18 inches of water.}

^{If you see a nuisance alligator,
consider why it is there. In the
case of River Grove, the most likely
culprit was someone who cleaned fish
and then thoughtlessly threw the
heads into the river. Since October
1, 2003, it has been a Class C
misdemeanor to feed alligators,
punishable by a fine of up to $500.}

^{The following information was
extracted from a Texas Parks and
Wildlife online article entitled
“What to do if you see an
alligator.”}

^Don’t:

^{Kill, harass, molest or
attempt to move alligators.
State law prohibits such
actions and your chance of
injury is very high.}

^{Allow small children to
play by themselves in or
around the river or bayous.}

^{Swim at night or during
dusk or dawn when alligators
most actively feed.}

^{Feed or entice
alligators.}

^{Throw fish scraps into
the water or leave them on
shore.}

^Do:

^{Inform others that
feeding alligators creates
problems.}

^{Enjoy viewing and
photographing alligators
from a safe distance of at
least 30 feet or more.}

^{Call Texas Parks and
Wildlife at 281 842-8100 if
you encounter a “nuisance”
gator, i.e., one that has
lost its fear of people or
acted aggressively toward
people.}

^{Remember that alligators are an
important part of our wetland
ecosystem. Without them, populations
of aquatic rodents like nutria could
soon swell out of control and damage
trees along our lakefront (see

http://eastendpark.com/naturessigns/treescars.html ).}

^{Article submitted by Bob Rehak,
Kingwood Service Association Parks
Committee}

^{Photo Credit: Mike Beswick,

www.TwilightImaging.net .}