Calaveras Lake, TEXAS – Many people don’t realize that there are alligators in Bexar County, but there are.
A fishing guide at Calaveras Lake got proof of that on video last weekend when he recorded an alligator floating in the southeast Bexar County lake not far from where people were fishing from the shore.
“They had no idea he was there,” said Travis Franke of San Antonio Fishing Charters.
Franke took the video from a pier and estimated the alligator to be about 7 to 8 feet long.
As a fishing guide for many years, Franke has seen several alligators in local waterways.
“It’s part of Texas that makes Texas cool,” he said.
Franke said until now, he hadn’t seen an alligator in a couple of years and said they usually come and go from the more populated areas of the lake after heavy rains. After all, alligators generally don’t like to be around people as much as we don’t want to be around them.
“He’ll probably head to the west side of the lake where the water is warmer and where there are fewer people and boats,” Franke said.
He estimated there are about a half dozen alligators in Calaveras Lake and said they have every right to be there.
“Keep it that way. Let him do his thing, he’s not going to bother anyone,” Franke said.
Alligators are a protected game animal in Texas. It’s illegal to hunt, raise or possess them without special permits.
“Alligators by nature are shy animals that left alone keep to themselves and play an important role as apex predators in aquatic ecosystems. Like any predator, it’s wise not to approach them, and it is illegal to feed or harass them,” according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
And TPWD says relocation isn’t a good option in most cases. Instead, what is needed is for people to be more educated about alligators and learn to coexist with them safely.
TPWD will intervene if an alligator becomes a nuisance by killing livestock and pets or threatening human health and safety. In those cases, you can call the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law enforcement communications center in Austin at (512) 389-4848.
Click here to read more about alligators in Texas.