Fayette County, Tenn.–The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency says there have been several confirmed sightings of alligators in southwest Tennessee. There was a seven-foot long one recently spotted at the Wolf River Wildlife Management Area in Fayette County. The video of the Fayette Co. alligator is posted on our Facebook pages.
According to the TWRA, alligators are naturally migrating into Tennessee from the southern border states. TWRA has not stocked any alligators in Tennessee. Alligators migrating into Tennessee is just another species that we must learn to coexist with like many of the other southern states, TWRA officials said.
Alligators are opportunistic feeders that prey on fish, turtles, snakes, frogs, and waterfowl. Occasionally they will feed on larger animals such as possums, raccoons, and deer.
Alligators can survive Tennessee winters by going into a hibernation-like dormancy called brumation. They can withstand periods of ice by sticking their snout out of the water before it freezes which allows them to continue breathing.
TWRA would like to remind everyone that alligators are a protected species and catching or shooting one is a violation of the law. If you come across one while exploring the outdoors in West TN, leave it alone and enjoy Tennessee’s unique biodiversity.
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