Massive Alligator is So Big, it Needs Tow Truck to Carry it Away

Local residents in Cinco Ranch, Houston were treated to the alarming sight of a gigantic 10-foot alligator casually strolling along a residential street on September 12. The alligator had emerged from the nearby Buffalo Bayou and was refusing to go back—so reinforcements were brought in to deal with the rogue reptile. Expert gator-wrangler Timothy DeRamus from Bayou City Gator Savers managed to capture the giant beast, but getting it out of the neighborhood was a different matter. Here's how DeRamus caught the alligator and removed it.

The alligator was spotted walking along a residential fence on Monday morning, and didn't appreciate attempts from locals to dissuade him from his leisurely stroll. A 10-foot gator is nothing to mess with—so the pros were called in. Timothy DeRamus was summoned by Fort Bend County Officials to deal with the "nuisance alligator"—with nine years of experience under his belt, DeRamus is well aware of how dangerous alligators can be. "Their intention is to hide under grass and stuff," DeRamus said. "I'd say I've caught about 2,500 to 3,000 alligators." Keep reading to learn more and see the video.

DeRamus has a familiar, well-tested routine for catching alligators, and quickly got to work in front of a crowd of two dozen onlookers. "He was up against the brick wall and I lassoed him with a horse lasso that I have and we pulled him up against the tree to make him flip and turn to tire himself out. He got real tired," DeRamus said. "We were able to pull him tighter to the tree and then I was able to kneel on him with my knee and secure his mouth shut with some tape."

Getting the giant alligator into DeRamus' pickup truck proved to be incredibly tricky—because the gator was so big, backup was needed just to move the creature. Finally, a tow truck was used to hoist the giant reptile into the truck, after which he was taken to a safe location far from the neighborhood. "He's actually in my front yard," DeRamus said. "I gotta catch two more. I gotta go to Galveston tonight to catch one, then I got to go to Pearland to catch a smaller one."

DeRamus planned to put all three alligators in his front yard before taking them to a rescue park called Gator Country. The park is a safe space for the reptiles to live out the rest of their lives in peace, and they won't be able to go strolling into residential neighborhoods anymore. According to DeRamus, the alligator he towed was around 50 years old. 

According to Texas Parks & Wildlife, alligators don't wander into residential areas in search of humans—but they should not be underestimated. "Alligators have a natural fear of humans, and usually begin a quick retreat when approached by people," TPW says. "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."