I’m never quite sure, when I first take the dogs out early in the morning what backyard visitor I’ll encounter. It could be a raccoon, an armadillo, a grey fox, a feral cat -- or an alligator.



Alligators of various sizes often wander through the yard. They might come from the pond down the hill heading for the wide open spaces of Paynes Prairie State Preserve. Or for reasons best known to them, they may leave the comparative vastness of the Prairie (especially during drouth conditions) and aim towards the downhill neighborhood pond.

Many of the gators seem to make it as far as our yard and then take a break for an hour (or a day) before continuing their journey. If they’re small we try to see them safely across the roadway, carrying them in whichever direction they seem to be heading. If they’re large we wish them well, but they must journey at their own speed.