<body><div><p> An <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/08/29/gator-loose-in-middlesex-borough-new-jersey/70710706007/" rel="nofollow"> alligator spotting </a> in Texas' Brazos River has sparked concerns among nearby residents. </p><p> The alligator was seen Sunday by Shelbi Todaro, a resident of Waco, a city about 100 miles south of Dallas. The gator was swimming underneath the suspension bridge at Indian Spring Park. Todaro captured the video of the reptile swimming and posted the videos to Facebook. </p><p><strong><em> Watch the alligator float in the river below. </em></strong></p><div style="position:relative;width:100%; height:0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox" scrolling="no" src="https://uw-media.usatoday.com/embed/video/71680199007?placement=newsbreak" style="width:100%; height:100%;top:0; left:0; position:absolute"></iframe></div><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p> Todaro <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/unusual-sighting-of-alligator-caught-on-video-swimming-in-brazos-river/ar-AA1kj5me" rel="nofollow"> told MySA </a> that she spotted the animal while she was running on the sidewalk by the river. She initially thought it was a snapping turtle but discovered it was an alligator upon closer inspection. </p><p> "I was really excited," Todaro told USA TODAY. "I love all animals, especially reptiles. I stayed for about an hour and just watched it float along." </p><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0kXGhU_0ppYI6Ky00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0kXGhU_0ppYI6Ky00" width="1392" height="928" ><figcaption>Clouds gather west of the Brazos River in Knox County on Dec. 26, 2018. Ronald W. Erdrich / Reporter-News</figcaption></figure><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p><strong> 'Really lucky': </strong><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/11/07/alligator-snorkeling-attack-alexander-springs-florida/71486484007/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Florida woman bit on head by 9-foot alligator walks away with scratches </a></p><h2 class="presto-h2 wp-block-heading"> Previous spotting </h2><p> Lerrin Johnson, a Wildlife Public Information Officer at Texas Wildlife Department told USA TODAY that the department's staff believes that, based on size and location, the alligator spotted Sunday is the same one that was seen in the area in September. </p><p></p><fb-video src="https://web.facebook.com/wacoparksandrec/posts/pfbid02ob7e3Rh66vbKqgaCYMCPc72nL2mJxVgsXTYZxrKiJMHSSSaPo9VastZD29L6DPfwl"></fb-video><p> "Though they are not commonly seen in the Waco area and do not have a breeding population, it is still on the western edge of the normal range for the <a href="https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/americanalligator/" rel="nofollow"> American Alligator </a> ," said Johnson. </p><h2 class="presto-h2 wp-block-heading"> Reptile transported </h2><p> When the alligator was spotted back in September, city officials had told the <a href="https://wacotrib.com/news/local/waco-alligator-brazos-texas-parks-wildlife-biologist/article_8def2a86-5e42-11ee-a803-338a53d7b0ae.html" rel="nofollow"> Waco Tribune-Herald </a> that it was unlikely the alligator had reached the Brazos River on its own. They believed that someone had probably transported the alligator to the river. </p><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p> “Based on looking at the head and size of its body parts, that is most likely a wild alligator transported from Louisiana or East Texas and released,” Brian Henley, an animal care supervisor at the Cameron Park Zoo had told the Tribune-Herald. </p><p> Henley said that the alligator did not look more than 3 or 4 years old. </p><h2 class="presto-h2 wp-block-heading"> 'Let the gator be' </h2><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p> City and state game warden officials said they intend to let the alligator be, though they warn the public to avoid harassing or feeding it. </p><p> The officer further said that the alligator is "exhibiting normal foraging behavior" and that his office will continue to monitor the reptile's location. </p><p> "TPWD does not currently see a need for removal as long as the public steers clear of the alligator and does not harass or feed it," said Johnson. </p><p><strong> What to know: </strong><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/11/21/mysterious-respiratory-dog-illness-symptoms-states-everything-to-know/71652480007/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Mysterious respiratory dog illness detected in several states </a></p><p><em> Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7. </em></p><p><em> This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/11/22/alligator-in-brazos-river-waco-texas-video/71670659007/" rel="nofollow"> An alligator was spotted floating along Texas' Brazos River. Watch the video. </a></em></p><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate></div></body>

Mountain View, CA

Shelbi Todaro, who spotted the alligator while running by the river, said she initially thought it was a snapping turtle. She captured it on video.