Alligators (Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga: safe, swimming, estimate)

[Capt. Dan]

Originally Posted by kazinfl

Check out the gator map on page 2 of this document.

http://www.allenpress.com/pdf/weme_16_303_119_124.pdf

According to that map the gators natural range is within 50 miles or so from Memphis. I didnt mean to imply that gator [sure is hard for a Univ of Tenn fan like me to keep saying that nasty word-gator-]sightings around memphis are common. But they do pop up from time to time. Especially in summer.

[Traveler256]

No gators in Cookeville for whoever asked. Cookeville is about 1,500 feet elevation at "city" level and can be higher in other places surrounding. It gets much to cold here for gators.

[MountainAire]

There are no gators here. They cannot live in these waters.

[Tennesseestorm]

It just showed on the local news (CBS station) that a crocodile was found in a marsh/lake in Sevierville Tennessee (this is just southeast of Knoxville!) Someone had evidentally discarded the poor thing there.

Animal control came to get it and was going to take it southward.

[TheShadow]

Why are people so stupid/mean to turn former pet animals out into an environment where they are not supposed to be? This happens across the country, and can cause HUGE environmental problems for the native species. Not to mention a possible painful or slow death for the pet in question.

[Capt. Dan]

Originally Posted by TheShadow

Why are people so stupid/mean to turn former pet animals out into an environment where they are not supposed to be? This happens across the country, and can cause HUGE environmental problems for the native species. Not to mention a possible painful or slow death for the pet in question.

This is true. Just like a Chinese man back in Maryland released some snakehead fish into a creek which connected to the Potomac River. They breed like rabbits and absolutely devastate other fish populations. This is a big concern for wildlife officials. people really need to be careful.

[TheShadow]

We have a similar problem with northern pike in a lake here in CA. They have twice had to poison the entire lake to kill them off. Pike destroy the local trout population by eating all the young trout, and they are afraid the pike will escape the lake and spread throughout the river system. I saw where those jumping carp were transplants from Asia too, and they are really a nuisance.

[Steve-o]

Same problem here in IL. In the last few years alone there have been numerous crocs/alligators swimming in our rivers, no thanks to boneheaded individuals who released them there. Absolutely ridiculous!!!!!

[Tennesseestorm]

Yeah, these people should be sent to Barrow Alaska and forced to stay outdoors to see how they like to adapt to conditions they do not like.

[welltravelled]

That is scary that they found a crocodile there. That means they could be anywhere in TN.