Nine foot alligator visits Oakwood

Joe Minter attempts to wrangle an alligator found on FM 542 just south of Oakwood. photo by Greg Smith Recently, an approximately 9 ft. alligator was spotted just a few feet off the road down FM 542 on the outskirts of Oakwood. Being located right next to the road and only a couple of hundred feet from a cluster of homes, Greg Smith, an Oakwood Volunteer Firefighter, said that he and friend, Joe Minter were concerned about public safety. They decided to try to corral the animal until they could get in touch with the Game Warden. Mr. Smith said that the Game Warden informed the two would-be alligator wranglers that there wasn't anything he, or they, could do about the alligator.

According to the Game Warden, the law states that unless the animal became aggressive toward humans or their animals, the alligator had every right to be there. In 1973, the American alligator was put on the Endangered Species list. In 1985, its status was upgraded to Protected Game. This status requires a special permit to hunt, raise, or possess alligators. As the gator had green pond scum covering its back, it is believed that its home was one of the nearby ponds adjacent to FM 542. Alligators are extremely territorial and are known to be able to find their way back to their home from several miles away if relocated. After obtaining this information, Smith and Minter were left with no other choice than to leave the alligator where they found it.