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A 13-foot, 600-pound alligator was killed in a state-managed coastal preserve just north of the Armand Bayou Nature Center (ABNC) in Pasadena, Texas. The alligator, estimated to be 50-years-old, was a popular tourist attraction at the Center and possibly one of the largest gators in the state.
According to the Houston Chronicle, two men, David Roach and Bryan Elliot, were arrested for allegedly killing the alligator in the protected coastal preserve. According to the report, the men caught the alligator on a hook and then tried to kill it with a knife. Then they shot the gator twice, finally killing it. Photographs were allegedly taken of the men with the dead alligator.
Hunting alligators in Harris County is allowed from April through June, but only with a bow and arrow and with permission. Hunting is prohibited in the coastal preserve area where this alligator was killed. The men, charged with taking wildlife resources, a misdemeanor, could face up to one year in jail and fines of up to $4,000 if convicted.
Armand Bayou Nature Center
ANBC, founded in 1974, is a 2,500-acre preserve and is the largest urban wildlife refuge in the United States. Named after environmentalist Armand Yramategui, the non-profit organization includes four nature trails as well as canoe and pontoon boat trips. Visitors can start their mornings off with breakfast on the bayou or finish the evening with a sunset or midnight cruise aboard the Bayou Ranger pontoon boat.
Home to nearly 400 species of reptiles, birds, mammals and amphibians, the center includes a boardwalk where people can walk through the marshes and forest. Live animal displays and exhibits are also available. A wide variety of environmental information, educational programs and interactive activities are also provided to the public.
Gator photo courtesy of edgArH via Flickr using Creative Commons license.
ABNC photo courtesy of Susan E. Adams on Flickr using Creative Commons license.
