SOMERVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency says people have seen a 7-foot alligator in West Tennessee! Photos of that 7 foot beast went viral as people were scratching their heads wondering why it is in West Tennessee.
Officers in Fayette County were called to looked at the animal. They didn't move it. It wasn't posing a threat to humans, but the TWRA says interestingly enough, there are a handful of alligators in West Tennessee. Mississippi has a huntable population.
Southern states that border the Gulf have nice sized populations, and as those populations increase, the TWRA says they'll begin to reclaim what was their native home range. As they start expanding their area they'll start moving eventually.
"For alligators to reclaim their home range, it's going to take a long time. The big alligator that was seen in Fayette County can withstand colder temperatures and survive through a winter. Whereas the younger alligators, the new young of the year – the cold winters are hard on them. So, it's hard for a younger alligator to progress northward," said TWRA Representative Barry Cross.
Historically, West Tennessee is in their home range. Alligators were once documented as far north as St. Louis along the Mississippi River, so they're not really strangers. The TWRA says if you see an alligator, and it's not posing a problem to anyone, leave it alone. Contact the TWRA. Let them know you saw it, and they'll go out and check it out.
Alligators are protected in Tennessee, so killing it is illegal.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
