There are no friendly alligators.

    And there are no tame ones or nice ones or alligators that simply will not bother people.

    Alligators are large, potentially dangerous reptilian predators that are very common in Southeast Texas and that are very capable of killing people and their pets.

     I’m not writing this to scare you or cause you to have a negative opinion of alligators but facts are facts and sometimes they get glossed over when these amazing creatures come into contact with humans.

      Every year there are dozens of cases of well-intentioned local citizens feeding alligators at boat docks, at their favorite fishing holes and sometimes even in their own yards but what they are doing is setting either themselves and the alligators up for disaster.

     Alligators conditioned to accept food from people will be the ones most likely to approach them and they could possibly attack. Even if they do not, these alligators are often taken by nuisance gator control officers out of their natural area.

    These animals are by no means out to get people. If they were we would have hundreds of attacks a year but the potential is there especially during the spring and early summer.

    We are in the midst of alligator mating season and this is the time when encountering the really big alligators is most likely.

    “Springtime is when alligators are most active,” said Monique Slaughter, a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) biologist who helps run the state alligator program at the J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area in Port Arthur.

    “Courtship and mating begins in late spring and continues through early summer. April through July are peak months for nuisance gator calls.”

     TPWD officials recommend the following for dealing with alligators.

    # Don’t kill, harass, molest or attempt to move alligators. State law prohibits such actions, and the potential for being bitten or injured by a provoked alligator is high.

    # Do call your TPWD regional office if you encounter a nuisance gator that has lost its fear of people.

    # Don’t allow small children to play by themselves in or around water.

    # Do closely supervise children when playing in or around water.