An uncommon visitor from Louisiana was discovered on a Texas beach this week.
An alligator from Louisiana popped up on Malaquite Beach on Monday, according to Padre Island National Seashore.
The young American alligator came all the way from Louisiana, they say, as indicated by the tail notch and tags found on it’s rear feet.
That would mean the alligator traveled nearly 300 miles to get to the Texas beach.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department advised on transporting the gator to a rehabilitation facility to recover from its long journey.
How the gator managed the long journey has not yet been determined
According to the NOAA, it is uncommon to find alligators near salt water ecosystems but they can tolerate some salt water.
"While alligators can tolerate salt water for a few hours or even days, they are primarily freshwater animals, living in swampy areas, rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds," they say.
Fish and Wildlife Services says that alligators are found throughout the Southeast, from the Carolinas to Texas and north to Arkansas.
------------------------------------------------------------
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers
