“The story, supposedly, is the alligators were brought here in the (1930s and 1940s) to help with beaver overpopulation,” said Dr. Karen Sheppard, the city of Huntsville’s animal services director.
The sightings are more frequent, the seeming fish – or, well, alligator – out of water in the Huntsville area.
“I don’t think there were any permits associated with moving them, but the thought was they were having a lot of trouble with beavers backing up moving water, as beavers do,” Sheppard said. Anya Adams of Madison is one of those people – someone who saw an alligator and quickly posted a video on Facebook.
Sheppard said the increased sightings in the Huntsville coincide with popular places for people to gather – such as the walking trail along Haysland Road or along the Flint River at the Hays Nature Preserve.