Alligators in N. Carolina?

[kickchick2000]

Originally Posted by RaleighLass

Gators are not "normally" found in the triangle. They are east of us in coastal areas and found in rivers, and ponds close to rivers in that area. They certainly could travel up the Neuse River which runs thru here, but it's highly unlikely. The only gator story I've heard of in the 35 yrs I've lived here occured in Hedingham subdivision, I used to live across from the neighborhood. The gator, "Wally" lived in a pond surrounded by homes and bordering the Neuse river. He was pretty reclusive, and trappers worked for weeks to try to catch him. Not sure if they ever did(?). My oldest daughter who was a young teen at that time, remembers months earlier when she and her friends would see him at a different pond between Hedingham and Foxcroft subdiv. It seems the kids were playing with him..they'd tease him, and feed him (from us parents' freezers). So, unless Wally surfaces again, I think you're safe from gators

The news isn't so good for water moccasins (cotton mouth). They are common in this area- as are copperhead snakes. However, unless you get up close to them, step on then, or they feel threatened, they won't strike you. We have them in my neighborhood as we have a few ponds. I am off 64E/New Bern near Knighdale between I-440/540. Recently, my dog disturbed a cotton mouth in the natural area surrounding our pond. Thank goodness it was a baby (12-14") because it struck her on the nose, she had a mild reaction but was fine. The snake, it was the first one that's hissed at me -it's now in snake heaven Here's an infomative piece on them Is it Really a Water Moccasin?


My friend who canoes the Neuse near our subdivision, say's he often see snakes when he's out there, but has never had a problem. When I first moved here I was terrified of snakes. But, after having to rescue two dogs from them and living around them for so long, my fears have gone. You are fine as long as you back away and leave them alone. The thing you have to look out for in this area is a wayward deer Development is driving them out of their habitat. One ran in front of my car in Wake Forest this week.

I remember the story of Wally from when I was in high school.

[RaleighLass]

Originally Posted by kickchick2000

I remember the story of Wally from when I was in high school.

Yep, some folks had t-shirts made in support of him, funny! It was a zoo over there most days when they were hunting him. TV crews, onlookers, no wonder he didn't come out. There was talk amongst the kids that he'd been somebody's pet, they lived in Foxcroft, let him loose in a back pond in what was the undeveloped area behind hedingham which later became part of the subdiv.

[Sharpless]

I grew up near the Croatan National forest in Eastern NC. There are definitely alligators in them thar woods, though not as abundant as Florida. I would guess that the further south you travel on the coast, the more common they become. I haven’t heard of any out here in the piedmont though.

[Tom Hawkins]

I am old enough to remember sending in cereal box labels to get a live alligator. I wonder if any of them are in North Carolina.

[UNCfan]

I just went camping in Gatesville, NC and they apparently have gators there frequently...but it was a swamp/nature preserve...