Editorial: We can't ignore them any longer -- alligators are here

By: Editorial | Opelika Auburn News
Published: August 10, 2009

An alligator was captured near an Auburn subdivision last Monday morning. It didn’t stretch more than six feet long and weighed only about 80 pounds, but this creature could have become a much larger problem a couple of years from now.

The thought of alligators in the Opelika-Auburn area didn’t cross many minds 10 years ago. That isn’t necessarily the case anymore. Alligators have been found in waters near some homes, in Lake Saugahatchee near Grand National Golf Course, and reports of a large reptile in Saugahatchee Creek west of Auburn have been made.

Should we be surprised?

Alligators thrive in the Chattahoochee River north of Lake Eufaula, which isn’t far away.

There have been alligator sightings in the Chattahoochee River near Atlanta and even one as far north as Lake Lanier.

There is no reason why alligators cannot exist and multiply in Lee County, where water and prey is abundant.

“We get a lot of calls with people concerned about alligators in Auburn, but the area has a lot of creeks that have been up a lot this year and when the creeks go down, they’ll make their way into ponds,” Chuck Riddle of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources told the Opelika-Auburn News.

“As more people build houses around lakes and ponds, you’re going to have interactions with alligators and other animals increase. If you do encounter an alligator on your property, you should call us before you try to do anything about it yourself.”

Increased alligator sightings are alarming for what is supposed to be a growing community.

In years past, alligators weren’t among the predators we worried about seeing in our backyards, and for the most part, they still are not. It’s not like you’re going to see a giant reptile waddling among traffic on Glenn Avenue next week. But the sightings to appear to be increased, making one believe their numbers are growing to some extent.

Preventing their migration into and growth within our community is difficult and would be a political mess. We urge citizens to use caution when recreating in the few areas known to have alligators and it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the animal control folks to kindly remove nuisance animals to a better location.

To an unknown, and probably limited extent, alligators are here. Let’s hope we can co-exist without often crossing paths.