Don’t Play With The Gator

Authorities are trying to verify a report of two alligators spotted at a slough in Riverside, Alabama, in the north-central part of the state.

“We are looking to see if the report of two alligators at a slough near River Bend Apartments is true,” Riverside Police chief Rick Oliver told the St. Clair Times.

Oliver said a River Bend Apartments resident called the police department Friday, January 14, 2011, to report the gator sighting.

“We called Game and Fish (the Alabama Department of Conservation Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries) and they came out Friday,” he said.

Oliver said Riverside police officers and the Game and Fish officials searched the slough all day Friday.

“One of our officers, Wayne Knight, observed something that could have been an alligator,” he said.

Oliver said officials were waiting on another sighting, and would continue searching for the gator.

This pictured 7-8 foot alligator appeared in the slough at Riverside Landing back in May 2010.

“I haven’t personally seen the alligator, so I can’t say if it is the same alligator from back in May,” he said.

The elusive alligator left the slough at Riverside Landing (shown here 8 months ago) and reappeared at a slough near River Bend Apartments, where it stayed throughout the day. State game officials tried unsuccessfully to capture the alligator.

Last May, an estimated 6-8 foot alligator appeared in the slough at Riverside Landing. Numerous passers-by stopped and watched as the gator swam in the slough all day.

Game officials attempted to capture the reptile that night with a limb line, but were unsuccessful as it moved out of the slough to a new location, appearing in the slough near River Bend Apartments the next day.

Game officials again attempted to capture the gator, but were unsuccessful. The alligator disappeared and no further sightings were reported.

River Bend Apartments issued a letter to all residents Friday informing them of the alligator sighting and urging caution with children and pets. Residents were advised to stay away from the slough.

Game officials urge residents not to feed alligators, so the reptiles do not become accustomed to humans. Residents should not attempt to capture the gator or antagonize it.

Anyone who sees an alligator should call the Alabama Department of Conservation Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries District 2 office 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday at 256-435-1642 or after hours call the game watch number at 1-800-272-4263.

Oliver said individuals may also call Central Dispatch at 205-884-3333 to report any alligator sightings.

Loren Coleman About Loren Coleman
Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct). Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015. Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.

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