7-Foot Alligator Caught In Fort Bend County Neighborhood

NEEDVILLE, TX -- It may spring time on the calendar, but it’s also alligator season in parts of east and southeast Texas.

In fact, the unseasonably warm weather brought many of the large reptiles out as early as February this year, and residents living near the water, such as lakes, bayous and small waterways on golf course are seeing more and more alligators who are coming out to sun themselves.

It was the start of a busy week for members of the Gator Squad, who captured two in residential areas and took them to a nearby preserve. (Sign up for Patch’s daily newsletter for your neighborhood.)

On Tuesday, members of the Texas Gator Squad captured a 7-foot alligator at a home in Needville, near the Brazos Bend State Park.

The alligator was found on Jackie Turman’s property as she was getting ready to take her daughter to school.

She called the Fort bend County Sheriff’s Office, who called out the Gator Squad to catch the reptile.

Turman said she was surprised to see Christy Kroboth from the Gator Squad, lasso and talk to the alligator in a soothing voice, much like you might a pet.

The gator, which was nicknamed Jackie, was caught with little trouble, and placed in a car to be taken to an area refuge.

Although they are common to the area, in 2016 residents throughout the Houston area reported large number of alligators in the area, many which appeared after two major flood events last year.

In October 2016, the largest alligator ever captured in Texas was found in Champions Lake east of Houston.

The October gator was nearly 14 feet long and weighed in at more 900 pounds, was removed from a wildlife refuge by a team because it posed a threat to other wildlife, officials said, and was moved to Gator County Wildlife Park near Beaumont.

Meanwhile, alligators will generally leave people alone, and they are good for the area because they eat water moccasins, which are common to the bayou area and the gulf coast regions.

They are not usually a threat unless they appear to be following you.

Professionals recommend staying at least 30 feet away from alligators and by all means do not feed alligators.

To learn more, log onto to Texas Parks & Wildlife

Image: Malcolm Manners via Flickr

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