Alligator Spotted In Tennessee

MOSCOW, TN -- Tennessee wildlife officials spotted a seven-foot alligator in the Wolf River in southwest Tennessee's Fayette County, about 50 miles east of Memphis near the Mississippi border.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said the gator at the Wolf River Wildlife Management Area is one of "several" recently confirmed sightings in Tennessee. Alligators are naturally expanding their range northward from Mississippi, according to the agency, which made a special point of saying it is not stocking alligators.

Despite Tennessee winters being relatively harsh compared to what the reptiles experience in their more common range, they can survive low temperatures during a process called "brumation," a state similar to hibernation, and can even survive in partially frozen water by positioning their snouts above the ice while the rest of their bodies rest below.

It is illegal to catch or shoot alligators in Tennessee. The TWRA said leave the animals alone and "enjoy Tennessee’s unique biodiversity."

Image via Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency