People rarely see alligators in Eagle Mountain Lake proper, which are more common to the West Fork Trinity River. In May 2019, an alligator stopped traffic crossing Wells Burnett Road at the Eagle Mountain Lake Dam. In 2013, Rob Denkhaus, of the Fort Worth Nature Center, said, "We're seeing more of them, but I'm not sure if that actually means we have more."

Are there alligators at Eagle Mountain Lake?

Yes, alligators are native to the Trinity River, its forks, watersheds, and the lakes dammed on the Trinity River system. Most of Eagle Mountain Lake lies in Tarrant County, Texas, with a small northern arm in Wise County, on the West Fork Trinity River.

Eagle Mountain Lake Alligator 2021

In 2021, Jimmy Martin, wildlife photographer, took photos of alligators in Eagle Mountain Lake and the Trinity River.

Sam Kieschnick, an Urban Wildlife Photographer for Texas Parks and Wildlife, reported there are a few dozen gators in Lake Lewisville, plus they are a stable population that also travels throughout the Trinity River and up to Eagle Mountain Lake in 2021. Alligators are a normal part of the Texas ecosystem.

However, unless you are actively looking for alligators at Eagle Mountain Lake or on the West Fork Trinity River, you probably will not encounter one. People often canoe right past gators without ever seeing them on the Trinity River. Experts are not sure if people are seeing more gators than usual when there is high water levels, or if people are spending more time outdoors, or if the alligator population is growing.

Has There Been an Alligator Attack on Eagle Mountain Lake?

There have been no reported attacks on humans at Eagle Mountain Lake. However, visitors need to be aware of safety precautions where alligators live. Residents and visitors have historically reported alligator sightings on Eagle Mountain Lake.

Residents of Tarrant County are asked to report alligator sightings by calling the Fort Worth City’s Marshal Office at Lake Worth at 817-238-9090. Alligators are a game species in Texas, but alligator hunting regulations are very strict because alligators are vital to their ecosystems.

To report an alligator that poses a threat to human safety, please call the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s district office weekdays at 817-831-3128 or after hours and weekends at 1-800-792-4263. For additional alligator information on Eagle Mountain Lake, please call the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge at 817-392-7410.

What North Texas Lakes Have Alligators?

Alligators are native to the North Texas area and live in various freshwater lakes and rivers.

People do not commonly see many alligators on North Texas lakes. Most gators have been found on the Trinity River or remote areas on the outskirts of popular lakes. Alligator populations in remote areas mean that the gators that are living around North Texas lakes are not living near the open or populated areas of the lake.

Alligators are most likely to live in their natural habitats like in shallow waterway runoffs away from the public. While the ecoregion and climate dictates the alligator’s habitat, the TPWD recognizes 22 core counties as counties with higher alligator populations than the other 232 Texas noncore counties. The 22 core counties that have the highest population of alligators in Texas all spur off of the Louisiana and Arkansas borders.

Nuisance Gators

An alligator that poses a threat to human safety is usually a nuisance gator. People create nuisance gators by feeding them directly or indirectly, and the gators have lost their fear of humans.

Never Feed a Gator: It Is Illegal

It is illegal for an extremely logical reason based on centuries of knowledge from the folks who live in East Texas, southwestern Arkansas, Louisiana, and Florida. Why? Gators instinctively fear humans and will not normally attack people.

If only one person feeds a single gator, it poses a future threat to humans and a opens up a new gateway to the property near the feeding location to children, pets, deer, cattle, other livestock, and wildlife because the gators become acclimated to human interaction, lose their fear, and hunt the new grounds.

It is illegal in Texas to feed an alligator. Since October 1, 2003, it has been a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 for anyone caught feeding an alligator in Texas. Human-fed gators are called nuisance gators. Even in non-core Texas counties, feeding a gator is dangerous to humans and the ecosystem.

Characteristics of Nuisance Gators

The presence of an alligator does not constitute a nuisance situation. If residences and commercial properties are located within or adjacent to habitats occupied by alligators, rare interactions do occur. Alligators are not naturally aggressive towards people. They avoid people and human-populated areas in their habitats, unless they have been fed intentionally or indirectly fed, such as by fish feeders or discarded fish remains thrown into the water.

Any alligator that has preyed upon or attempted to prey upon humans, pets, or livestock, or an alligator that shows aggression and lack of fear of humans by regularly approaching human activity is considered a "nuisance alligator". People who feed gators intentionally or indirectly create nuisance gators. Leaving fish remains in water or on the waterfront is illegal in many state and federal wildlife management agencies, and is considered indirectly feeding a gator.

Alligators do not naturally patrol neighborhoods, busy beaches and waterfronts, and popular fishing areas in their habitats. The following are instances in which local authorities should be notified about a nuisance gator:

• If you see an alligator in the roadway.
• If an alligator is repeatedly following boats, canoes or other watercrafts, and/or maintains a close distance without submersing.
• If you walk near the water and an alligator comes straight toward you, especially if it comes out of the water.

What to Do if You Have an Alligator Encounter

Serious and repeated attacks are most often made by alligators 8-feet in length or more and the result of chase and feeding behavior. Attacks by alligators under 5-feet in length are rare.

From the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD):

• If the alligator is not approaching people or otherwise posing an obvious threat, wait a few days if possible - even up to a week - before contacting TPWD. In spring and summer, alligators are moving to breed and find new habitat. Most of the alligators moving around are smaller ones that have been pushed out of their normal habitat by larger alligators. Usually, these smaller alligators will move further on in a week or two.
• If you hear an alligator hiss, it's a warning that you are too close.
• Alligators have a natural fear of humans, and usually begin a quick retreat when approached by people. If you have a close encounter with an alligator a few yards away, back away slowly. It is extremely rare for wild alligators to chase people, but they can run up to 35 miles per hour for short distances on land. Never make the mistake of thinking that an alligator is slow and lethargic. Alligators are extremely quick and agile and will defend themselves when cornered. A female protecting her nest might charge a person who gets close to the nest, but she would quickly return to the nest after the intruder left.
• It is not uncommon for alligators to bask along the banks of a pond or stream for extended periods of time. These alligators are usually warming their bodies; they are not actively hunting. Often times a basking alligator may be seen with its mouth open; this is a way to cool its body temperature down, since alligators do not pant or sweat. An approaching human should cause these alligators to retreat into the water. (In some cases, the alligator may be protecting a nest - see below.) However, an alligator may be considered a nuisance if it leaves the banks of the water body to spend time near homes, livestock pens, or other structures.
• If you walk near the water and an alligator comes straight toward you, especially if it comes out of the water, it is definitely a nuisance alligator that needs to be reported to TPWD. In many cases, these are alligators that have been fed by people or have been allowed to get human food.
• If you see an alligator while walking a pet, make sure that your pet is on a leash and under your control. Your pet will naturally be curious, and the alligator may see an easy food source. Alligators have a keen sense of smell. In areas near alligator sightings it is wise to keep pets inside a fenced area or in the house for a few days, during which the alligator will often move on.
• If you see an alligator in the roadway, DO NOT attempt to move it! Notify local authorities so the alligator can be handled safely.
• If you see a large alligator in your favorite swimming hole or pond, do not swim with it. Although alligator attacks in Texas are rare, it can happen. The "attack" reports in Texas are usually more accurately described as "encounters." As with all outdoor activities, realize that wildlife encounters are a possibility.
• It is not uncommon for alligators to pursue top-water fishing lures, and this activity does not constitute a threat to humans. As with fish, alligators are attracted to these lures because they mimic natural food. Most alligators can be easily scared away from boats or fishing lures. However, alligators that repeatedly follow boats, canoes, or other watercraft, and/or maintain a close distance without submersing may be considered nuisance alligators.
• If you see a nuisance alligator, consider why it is there. Did someone clean fish and throw the heads into a pond or river? If so, they created a potential alligator problem and could be breaking state regulations. Since October 1, 2003, it has been a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 for anyone caught feeding an alligator.

Gator Safety Precautions

DON’T feed alligators.

DON’T get too close to them.

DON’T swim or wade where they are.

DON’T let your pets near them.

DON’T agitate or tease them.

DON’T try to catch one.

DON’T approach an alligator’s nest.

DO observe from a safe distance.

DO discourage others from feeding them.

DO treat them with respect as an important element of nature.

DO get additional information about alligators from your local Texas Parks and Wildlife Department office, or contact the Alligator Program directly at 10 Parks and Wildlife Drive, Port Arthur, Texas, 77640, or [email protected]