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Tewa, the alligator, gains worldwide celebrity. Above, staff at the zoo farm carry her to her new home. Photos provided by Animal World & Snake Farm

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Tewa, the alligator, enters her new Snake Farm enclosure.
Photo provided by Snake Farm

LATER GATOR

WILDLIFE
Thursday, March 9, 2023

Buda alligator goes viral worldwide as it's re-homed to New Braunfels Snake Farm

Her name is Tewa, she is over 20 and she is probably the most famous American alligator in the United States – truth be told, the world.

Her story went viral Wednesday.

This past Friday, Texas Game Wardens and staff of the Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo in New Braunfels corralled and removed Tewa, an 8-foot Alligator – mississippiensis is her fancy name – from a cage in the backyard of a Buda residence. The alligator was raised as a family pet and wildlife officials estimated she may have been in captivity for approximately 20 years.

Following her capture on Friday, she was transported and re-homed at the Snake Farm that same day. Then her legend began. Media from around the world, including the BBC and CNN, contacted Jarrod Forthman, deputy director of the Snake Farm. He said he has done dozens of interviews since Tewa arrived back at the zoo after a separation of decades.

“I was part of the capture,” he said. Her surrender and return to the zoo is how her life may have been saved. Forthman said he was told that his facility is only one of a few places where alligators may be taken. Without this facility close by, it was likely Tewa would have been euthanized.

“We are happy to have provided her a home,” he said, adding that the Snake Farm has been in New Braunfels since its was established in 1967. Fully accredited as a zoological park, the zoo provides Tewa with approximately 500 species of animals nearby. More than just snakes, the zoo has white lions, hyenas, lemurs and monkeys, who are her new mates. The keeper staff will be out, on Sundays in particular, where those visiting the zoo may meet and greet Tewa.

Officials from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said the alligator may have been taken as an egg or maybe a hatchling from this very place she now calls home, about 50 miles distant from Buda. As alligators at the zoo range in age from young to 30 years, and some as old as 50 years, it is even possible Tewa is back with her mother.

“She was able to be introduced to the other alligators with no problem,” Forthman said. Females do better than males in this kind of introduction as there is little aggressive posturing that takes place.

According to the TGW website, https://tpwd. texas.gov/huntwild/wild/ species/americanalligator/, American alligators are “large, semi-aquatic, armored reptile that is related to crocodiles.” They can grow to be as large as 14 feet so in that respect Tewa might be considered petite. Generally, almost black in color, alligators like Tewa have large eyes, nostrils with coarse scales on the body and a long head that shows visible teeth along the edge of the jaw.

Tewa was born with the ability to be an agile swimmer, she is carnivorous and may even be quite vocal with what sounds like barking or even grunts. She has the potential to hiss on occasion should the opportunity present itself. Texas alligator like to take it easy from about mid-October to early March, so this is nesting time for Tewa.

The dilemma for keeping alligators in residence yards is that alligators may prey on dogs or cats and can be quite quick despite their appearance to the contrary.

To keep alligators in Texas requires specific permits, which the homeowner allegedly lacked, and so Texas law decreed that the animal had to be removed from the premises. In addition, the unidentified individual from whom the animal was taken, was issued two citations; however, Forthman said her former owner may visit her anytime she wants.

Forthman said he released a video Wednesday showing Tewa in her new habitat, “basking in the sun.” She will live out the rest of her life in the facility, he said. And noting the age of her new gator neighbors, that may be for many years to come.

San Marcos Record

(512) 392-2458
P.O. Box 1109, San Marcos, TX 78666