Texas team relocates scarred 10-foot alligator with bullet wound found lounging in a backyard pool

A heavily scarred alligator found refuge in a backyard pool in Los Fresnos, Texas.

What happened?

On July 28, Jake "Gator Jake" Reinbolt of the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center reported for duty when a caller reported a six- to eight-foot alligator lounging on their property, as  AOL reported.

Once Reinbolt and a colleague trapped the reptile, they determined the alligator was 10 feet long — longer than expected but still shorter than the 11.2-foot average length of a male American alligator.

"He would have been slightly longer but he was missing the last 4 to 6 inches of his tail," Reinbolt said. He said the alligator also carried older injuries, including a bite mark and a bullet hole in its face.

Why does it matter?

Active in the warmer months, gators have become all too common in residential areas as development spreads and more people are living closer to wetlands, rivers, and other wildlife corridors.

The Los Fresnos alligator's injuries indicate altercations with other animals in addition to human harassment, even though alligators are strictly protected in Florida by state and federal laws.

"I imagine that it was competition and human interference that encouraged him to try and find a new home," Reinbolt said.

Research and reporting on human-wildlife conflict have described how habitat disruption and human behavior can increase the chances of dangerous encounters. University of Florida News reported that 96% of recorded alligator attacks involved some kind of "human inattention or risk-taking."

What's being done?

Experts generally recommend keeping pools and yards as unappealing to wildlife as possible, and supervising pets and children closely near water. If a gator is spotted, contact trained officials immediately and do not engage with the animal on your own, as intentionally handling, harassing, or killing an unauthorized alligator is classified as a third-degree felony in Florida.

Reinbolt said his team was able to safely relocate the alligator and return it to the wild with the assistance of Texas Game Wardens.

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