In Liberty County, Texas, authorities are treating the death of a nearly 12-foot alligator as a criminal matter after a family came across the animal floating belly-up in a river with gunshot wounds to its head.
The discovery has rattled a Liberty County community that shares its waterways with native wildlife, while raising renewed questions about what happens when someone illegally kills a protected animal in public habitat.
What happened?
Along the East Fork of the San Jacinto River in northwest Liberty County, Texas Game Wardens are investigating what authorities describe as the illegal killing of a large alligator, Fox 26 Houston reported. The animal had been shot in the head.
Cody Duncan, the father who found the animal with his children, said his family noticed the gator while they were swimming in the river in July.
"We're just down there swimming. We go down there all the time. I knew the gator was there. I've seen it a bunch of times, but he's never bothered us or somebody where we swim," Duncan said.
Once he got the animal to shore, he said, the extent of the injuries became clear.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
"That's when I noticed he had two gunshot wounds to his head. One hit him directly in the center of his head. Whoever killed him, they did it out of cruelty," Duncan said.
Captain Ryan Hall of the Beaumont Law Enforcement Office for Texas Parks and Wildlife's game wardens said authorities do not view the shooting as a lawful harvest.
"This alligator was killed in public. It was killed in a natural habitat in the river. This is an alligator who's minding its own business out in the wild," Hall said. "There's not a legal way to do what happened."
Why does it matter?
State and federal law protect alligators in Texas, where they are a native part of the ecosystem, as Fox 26 Houston reported.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Alligators also play a meaningful role in rivers and other aquatic ecosystems. Their nests can create habitats for other species, particularly during dry periods. Healthy rivers support cleaner water, recreation, and tourism, as well.
The investigation comes ahead of the regulated hunting season, which runs from Sept. 10 to Sept. 30.
What's being done?
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is overseeing the case, while Texas Game Wardens work to identify the person who shot the alligator, Fox 26 Houston reported. If authorities locate the person responsible, they could face serious penalties tied to protected wildlife laws.
Hall said residents should not try to resolve wildlife conflicts themselves. Instead, if an alligator shows up in a place that concerns people, officials want them to stay back and contact a local game warden so the situation can be assessed safely.
Texas does permit alligator hunting, but only under strict limits on time and place. Hunters need a valid Texas hunting license plus a CITES tag, and any harvest is limited to private property.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
