On July 5, Coppell Animal Services was made aware of an alligator in a pond behind homes along Castle Creek Drive and confirmed another sighting off of Inglenook Court, Chief Communications Strategist Hannah Cook said in an email.
“We have been unable to confirm the size of the alligator, but, based on videos and feedback from the community, we suspect that it is approximately 5-6 feet long,” Cook said.
The details
Coppell resident Shannon McDill said she saw the alligator on the morning of July 12 in the pond behind Castle Creek Drive.
The alligator rose out of the water attempting to crawl up a concrete culvert leading from the pond to Denton Creek, McDill said. She added that she has spotted two alligators throughout the week—one small between 3-4 feet and another larger one around 5 feet.
McDill’s neighbor Harsh Shah said he also spotted the reptile in the pond July 11.
Also of note
Alligators are a regulated species, meaning city staff is unable to remove or relocate the reptile without authorization from Texas Parks and Wildlife, according to a city release.
City staff is still unsure how the alligator arrived in Coppell. The Animal Services team is currently in contact with Texas Parks and Wildlife and will post updates as they occur, Cook said.
The city is imploring residents to not swim, fish or enter waterways in the area. Residents are also asked to not feed the alligator for their safety.
