"not just your everyday animal sightings".

[wildmaninal]

Ok I live in North Alabama heard tales of alligator sightings in our local Weiss Lake (my favorite fishing hole) and the Coosa River in the past and further down Logan Martin Lake. People have seen an alligator on the bank of the Weiss lake, I just read an article that said a 5 footer was found enjoying a farmers pond, don't know how long ago that was. I just read the forum on that here it is.
'forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/alabgard/msg1115205512477.html'

There are articles on the internet that mention stocking a north Alabama wildlife refuge back in the 60's with alligators to control the beaver population. Somebody had a bright idea, not. Word is that not all the gators were captured and there was a chance that both sexes in the gators were brought into the wildlife refuge so there was a chance that they could breed. I know that there might be a chance that the last sentece isn't true. Take a "friend" I had that owned 2 alligators for pets and lived just up the road, what if he lied and didn't sell or accidentally kill the one of them and released them out in the wiled instead. I not comfortable swimming in the lake because of a physical condition I have but if there is one more reason that I wont swim in the lake the gator is it. How many of you out there have similar sightings or tales of animals that made there way into your area or rare animal sightings, or animals out of there natural habitat?

This is out of one article talking about the 1960's article.
"I've seen pictures from the 1960s with alligators in Northern Alabama," he said. "More people are on the river now and that's the reason we have more alligator sightings."

 

[v1_0]

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

I'm not sure they don't belong. According to wikipedia, the habitat of the American Alligator is:

The American Alligators normally live along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida as well as Arkansas, Georgia and the Carolinas.

-V

 

[ANIMAL]

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

There are a lot of southeren animals moveing north because of the warmer winters. The last 3 winters have not even been cold enough to kill the ticks out. Walk in the woods where I stay when in Oklahoma and when you get back you might as well just get in the shower with a butter knife and scrape them off. The only other way to get them off is with tweezers and that will take all day. But yes the animals are moveing north. You would think that would tell Uncle Sam that something is not right with the world,,,like global warming that they want to think is nothing to worry about....ANIMAL

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

We only have strange animal's seasonally...... we call them tourists!

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

I'm not sure they don't belong. According to wikipedia, the habitat of the American Alligator is:

The American Alligators normally live along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida as well as Arkansas, Georgia and the Carolinas.
-V

On rare occasions Carolinas, this is what I was talking about this isn't the Gators normal habitat. Do you think they would be talking about articles of alligator sightings in north Alabama if this was there natural habitat. I understand the global warming mombo jumbo and what they the scientist are trying tell us about it. And I didn't start the thread to raise a stink lol, this can be about other animal sightings as well. Of course this thread is open to opinions, we can discuss the effects of the global warming causing the animal's natural habitat to change. LOL Bob VT

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

We only have strange animal's seasonally...... we call them tourists!

Me too, only we call them halfers.

1/2 way between home in the south and 1/2 way between home in the north somewhere.

 

[MikDee]

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Me too, only we call them halfers.

1/2 way between home in the south and 1/2 way between home in the north somewhere.

Oh!, I thought you said heffers?,,, I resemble that remark

 

[v1_0]

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

On rare occasions Carolinas

Saw some of those myself - out on the golf course near Willmington, NC - back in 1999. The locals were used to them being there, so I guess that they'd been there for awhile.

-V

 

[KeltonKrew]

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

guys...y'all have the alligator's all wrong...the problem is the people.....people think it's "neat" to feed them...they get used to humans and that's when you have your problems.

We have alligators all around our area...we swim like nobody's business..they don't bother us...alligators can tell by the sound of the water and splashing that it's not a dog/beaver, etc (normal food source) and they don't bother us..most of the time they do whatever it takes to get away...it's when stupid people think they can feed them like pets and they lose their fear of humans when the crap hits the fan!

no. 6 alligator in the states via gun was taken out of river about 20 miles from me....most of the time you don't see them...but trust me...they're there.....they don't want no part of a human unless they're conditioned to not fear us...

so....don't jack with them, don't feed them and let them be...we can live together with them...

ps...they were here much longer than we have been...we're in their habitat...not vice-versa!

(and no I don't belong to PETA....I think every animal has a place in this world.....right next to the mashed taters)~

 

[beerrun]

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

check this outhttp://www.abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=3742811

 

[KeltonKrew]

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

now that would freak me out....I'd end up with bullet holes all in my bathroom!!!!!

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

We sometimes have black bear sightings in the northwest part of the county. Also now a few coyoti . Rare to see a grey wolf near by. We have had several people catch some snakehead fish in the Catawba river 15 miles south. These fish came from china and are known to leave one body of water and crawl long distances to another. They also are mean preditors ,real nasty. I did see a spoted yellow tom cat several days ago though. hehe As far as seeing a "BIGFOOT" there have been reports but I think alcohol played a role in those.

 

[mikeandronda]

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Bigfoot......no........Thats my mother in law.

 

[JB]

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Animal ranges expand and contract in the normal passage of time. Many animals that were historically native many places have disappeared due to human activity and are now reappearing or simply expanding ranges due to environmental change.

Several species historically native in this area are beginning to reappear in isolated sightings; Cougar, Red and Gray wolves, even one report of a Jaguar.

Gators were fairly common in NC when I was a tad, but Coyotes weren't. Now it seems that it is the opposite.

 

[moterboat]

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Im in Tampa,grew up around these critters,I don't believe a gator can take too much cold,I know it gets colder in Alabama then Tampa,but if you do have some gators there,you should feel blessed,after some gator tail you will never go back to chicken.. pure white meat...our county is giving away more permits then normal to hunt the gators to reduce the population,too many here..

 

[jimyoung]

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

My BIL....this summer caught 2 pirahna at lake Millerton, fresh water in the middle of california......probably some that got too big for the aquarium and were released by an irresponsible pet owner......should have taken them to a pet store or sold them online somewhere..........

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

I hear ya on the cold moterboat, it is getting chilly up hear, especially today I almost had to put on a jacket. Piranha Jimyoung, they must of done like you said, I thought those were in South America only. See this is what I'm talking about, sightings of rare animals or animals not in there natural habitat. I always been fascinated with sharks and gators, but not to the point that I want to go pet one of the darn things . Did you all here about the Jaw's size (like the movie) great white that was caught, I only heard a preview of it and didn't get to watch the hole thing.
I also want to pay my respects to a friend who's wife Mrs. Hagan passed away last week at the age of 50 from a Brain aneurysm, just found out about it today. They found out that she had lung cancer after doing an MRI, very sad, he was given the option to pull the plug on the life support and he decided to let her go to the good lord above.

 

[moterboat]

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

My BIL....this summer caught 2 pirahna at lake Millerton, fresh water in the middle of california......probably some that got too big for the aquarium and were released by an irresponsible pet owner......should have taken them to a pet store or sold them online somewhere..........

know what your talking about on people turning piranha loose in our waters.. on the news here in tampa around 6 months ago biologist found a lionfish hanging around a reef about 2 -3 miles offshore in the gulf,they don't belong here ethier,they say that in a short time the lionfish can kill all the reef fish and that will really screw things up here with the food chain.. don't know how many of you guys watch much news,but in the everglades,around 6 months ago, they found a boa constrictor dead with a 12 foot gator part way in its mouth,turns out the boa,around 15 feet,took on the gator and killed it then tried to swallow it,the gator was too large,it split the boa down the seam..

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Very interesting moterboat, I thought about making a spin off thread from this one, on gator and shark attacks not published by world news.

 

[1730V]

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

Re: Animals that don't normally belong in your area

"normally" is a relative term. In terms of what? We think everything that has changed in the last 50 years is a worldwide calamity. It's laughable.