Katy(suburb of houston) residents outraged at treatment of alligator

[Tony]

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/news/42803_local_gatorcaught.html full article

Some residents of a Cinco Ranch neighborhood are angry and shocked at what they call inhumane treatment of an alligator
People who live in the Shadow Bend subdivision found a nine-foot alligator in the street. They say they really didn't have a problem with the gator. They just wanted it gone. What they did have a problem with is how the animal was treated by folks with the Parks and Wildlife Department.
It happened last Thursday morning when residents in the subdivision on on Lodgestone at Cannondale woke up to find an alligator in the middle of their street.

"They live on the golf course out here. We see them in the pond back there, so he was only like a house away from his territory," said resident Laura Brumbauth. "He was just laying in the street and everyone was getting their cameras and watching him."

I not a fanatic for animal rights, but I think that animals should be treated humanly. I think the treatment of this gator was inappropriate. Is it really that hard to give the animal some drugs and have it moved to a different location?

[Tricky]

Although I am the only self-acknowledged liberal Texan, I will surprise you by saying that the authorities were not necessarily wrong to destroy the alligator. Had a single person or pet been hurt, the public would have been screaming bloody murder. There may have not been the tranquilizer darts or whatever they needed handy to deal with the animal quickly. Also, it has been noted before that alligators that have lost fear of civilization are a much greater danger (especially to pets) than wild alligators. But the way in which they did it is indefensible. They could have easily walked up and shot it. Dragging it behind the truck was the sort of thing I would expect of sadistic teenagers.

[Tony]

Originally posted by Tricky
But the way in which they did it is indefensible. They could have easily walked up and shot it. Dragging it behind the truck was the sort of thing I would expect of sadistic teenagers.

See, if they would have done that, I wouldnt be as mad. Dragging it behind the truck was sick. I hope now that the gator is dead they will use it for something, ie. meat, leather ect...


And what are you talking about when you say " the only self-acknowledged liberal texan"? :p Im liberal, im just not a leftist.

[Tricky]

Originally posted by Tony
And what are you talking about when you say " the only self-acknowledged liberal texan"? :p Im liberal, im just not a leftist.
LOL. Okay Tony. You're a liberal... for a Texan.:D

[Tony]

Originally posted by Tricky

LOL. Okay Tony. You're a liberal... for a Texan.:D

no no no, Im not A liberal. Im liberal in the sense of advocating for more personal freedoms and individual liberties. :)

[corplinx]

Gator hide is extremely tough. Most bullets simply wont penetrate. I wonder if those tranq darts pierce it?

I doubt the gator was seriously hurt by his trip across the pavement. The game warden had a responsibility to get a large wild animal out of the area ASAP.

[Badger]

Definitely not the best handling of PR by the game warden.

But I'm going to throw a few things out that should be weighed before painting this as another "official brutalizes animal" situation.

First, tranquilizing an animal is not an easy thing. There is a high risk of death and injury involved. It's not as simple as Marlin Perkins on Mutual of Omaha's wild kingdom made it out to be.

Second, alligator skin is tough. A short drag on a road probably barely scuffed it. I assume (making an ass out of you and me) that he dragged it to a more secluded area, so he wouldn't be blowing it away infront of a bunch of children, oh the horror.

Third, I would expect the game warden to be aware of the alligator population in this area, and so when a large one (9 feet, the article says) is forced out of its territory by demographic pressure, it would seem that there's enough of 'em around. So killing one that has become used to humans isn't going to cause the decline of the species, if you get what I mean.

Still, the warden could have explained this situation and his plans for handling it in a fashion that it wouldn't have caused such outrage.

[Tricky]

Originally posted by Tony


no no no, Im not A liberal. Im liberal in the sense of advocating for more personal freedoms and individual liberties. :)
I thought that was a Libertarian?

Besides, I was considering liberal/conservative in the sense as Ambrose Bierce said in the Devil's Dictionary (http://www.alcyone.com/max/lit/devils/c.html)
CONSERVATIVE, n.
A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal, who wishes to replace them with others.

[Hypocolius]

Originally posted by Tony

I hope now that the gator is dead they will use it for something, ie. meat, leather ect...


If gator's are anything like crocs, then a 9 footer will be way too tough for either leather or meat.

[Tony]

Originally posted by Hypocolius


If gator's are anything like crocs, then a 9 footer will be way too tough for either leather or meat.


No no no, you can buy gator skin shoes, briefcases, purses ect. And gator meat is a staple in louisiana.

[Badger]

Originally posted by Hypocolius


If gator's are anything like crocs, then a 9 footer will be way too tough for either leather or meat.

Marinate it in beaujolais for a day or so, grind into hamburger (or not) and simmer for hours with red beans, garlic, onions, and hot chilis as either a chili or stew!!!

mmmmmmm

And cornbread! Can't forget cornbread!!


Oh, man, I think I just wet myself.....

[Hypocolius]

Originally posted by Tony

No no no, you can buy gator skin shoes, briefcases, purses ect. And gator meat is a staple in louisiana.

But those are usually from farmed animals, and are considered too tough by the time they are about 3 feet long (about 3 years old too). A 9 footer has much too tough hide to make usable leather.

As to eating the meat, fair enough, though again most is from younger animals.

[Tony]

Originally posted by Hypocolius


But those are usually from farmed animals, and are considered too tough by the time they are about 3 feet long (about 3 years old too). A 9 footer has much too tough hide to make usable leather.

As to eating the meat, fair enough, though again most is from younger animals.

D'oh, you're right. I didnt notice where you said "9 footer".