ALLIGATORS AT EXPLORATION GREEN

 

Like humidity and Tex-Mex, alligators are a part of the Houston experience. It is the Bayou City after all, and no one loves a bayou more than the American alligator. Here in Clear Lake, the waterways gators love are all around us – Armand Bayou, Horsepen Bayou, Clear Creek – and they all connect to the ponds at Exploration Green.

 

The conservation area inevitably attracts alligators, especially in the spring and summer when gators are looking for love and new territory to call their own. In most instances, these alligators stay close to the water. They particularly like the islands where they can avoid people and pets.

 

In most instances, alligators are just part of the nature experience, but when a gator starts to show signs of becoming a nuisance, the CLCWA takes action. A licensed specialist is called in to safely remove and relocate the animal to a more suitable habitat, away from residential areas. This process helps ensure the safety of both the public and the alligator.

 

When does an alligator become a “nuisance”?

For some people, every alligator is a “nuisance,” but most alligators mind their own business and actively avoid encountering humans.

 

Texas Parks and Wildlife defines a nuisance alligator as one that is killing pets or posing a threat to human health or safety (https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/alligator/safety/index.phtml).

 

What we need from you

Many of the rules and policies at Exploration Green help prevent alligators from getting used to being around people and pets. Here’s what you can do to help keep Exploration Green safe for all our visitors:

 

• Always keep pets on a 6-foot leash.

• Do not fish at Exploration Green.

• Do not feed ducks or other wildlife.

• Stay away from alligators.

• Report alligators that wander onto the path or are acting unusual.

 

With your help, we can continue to develop Exploration Green as a premier wildlife conservation area that is both a beautiful and safe place for the community to walk, run, and bike. If you have any questions, you can contact the EG Land Steward at explorationgreen@clcwa.org.