Buffalo Bayou Alligator on the Rocks: Dead

Cause of Gator Demise Unknown 

Oxygen-deprived upside-down gator on the rocks 

 Also see -> prior blog post with photos of live alligators 
--> Alligator warning signs in George Bush Park 

Buffalo Bayou exiting Barker Reservoir with washed up alligator (8/8/2016 at dusk) 

Landscape behind Barker Dam at the outlet structure that controls the release of water
from the reservoir into Buffalo Bayou 

Alligator warning signs in George Bush Park more visible than the critters themselves - For an American Alligator photo safari, head farther South to Brazos Bend State Park

Can you find the alligator in the pic below? 

Click on photo to enlarge the view. 

The truth is that the alligator warning signs are more abundant, or at least visible at all times in George Bush Park, while the alligators themselves are not. That said, there is a reason for the warning signs. Alligators have been spotted there, but they are not exactly all over the place. The large birds and the deer are much more plentiful.

A better location to observe alligators in their natural habitat is Brazos Bend State Park. But as reported by the Houston Chronicle in its weekend edition, that park is currently closed due to flooding, which appears to have caused some damages. But it will only be a matter of time until things are back to normal conditions. There are far in excess of a hundred alligators resident there all year round, and the wildlife enthusiast is virtually assured to get to see at least a few of them one a single visit, even on the least demanding trails. Sometimes they even block the trail.

Unlike the warning signs in George Bush Park, those posted at Brazos Bend State Park also give instructions on "alligator etiquette", i.e. doos-and-donts of staying safe around alligators. --> Alligator safety 

Some of the trails are also great for biking, and overnight camping is an option also. Fishing is allowed, but no swimming. For obvious reasons! Pets to be kept on a short leash. Alligators may deem them prey. Don't fight alligators for your catch when you fish (there are piers and platforms), and don't ever feed them, lest they take a liking to you and fellow humans.

Birding is also great the Brazos Bend. The birds are much more abundant than they are in George Bush Park, and the make-up of the avian population (in terms of species and their numerical share) varies around the year, reflecting seasonal migration patterns. 

Brazos Bend State Park can be reached from the Energy Corridor area by heading down Highway 6 to U.S. 59, now also known as Interstate 69, and then exit at the sign for George Ranch and Brazos Bend State Park. The Grand Parkway is another option: 

Park address: 21901 FM 762 Rd, Needville, TX 77461

According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department's website (status of parks page), the park will re-open July 8, 2015, but some trail/areas will probably remain closed. 

Alligator floating in the water in one of the lakes at Brazos Bend State Park 

 AMERICAN ALLIGATORS IN THEIR NATURAL HABITAT 

AT BRAZOS BEND STATE PARK

Alligator sighting in George Bush Park after heavy rains ... other wildlife

Lots of wild life in and alongside the swelling bayous and creeks

Rare sight in Bush Park: Spoonbill taking flight

Heron and Spoonbill on the water

Noble Road Trail with high water

Alligator warning signs on Buffalo Bayou

Nature Area Warning Signs - Keep Pets Leashed and Don't Wade in the Water

Alligators are not much in evidence on Buffalo Bayou, but there are now signs
in Bush Park warning of them (also in the Arboretum, which is part of Memorial Park).
Wild pigs and deer are far more numerous in the reservoir.

Gator warning sign posted in Memorial Park Arboretum on the high
bank of  Buffalo Bayou near the observation deck

Alligators can be seen at Brazos Bend State Park.
(click link for prior post on alligator watching)

Alligator habitat - Keep Dogs on Trails (and leashed) - Warning sign
at Brazos Bend State Park (Jan 2013 landscape pic of lake with turtles and alligators)

Alligators - Where to see them in their natural habitat

There are occasional reports of alligator sightings along Buffalo Bayou. There is even a warning sign in the Houston Arboretum at the boardwalk to the observation deck overlooking the bayou near the railroad trestle bridge.

But if you want to observe alligators in the wild, Houston-area bayous are not the best place to go on a reptilian safari. They are the main attraction of a nearby state park, where there are hundreds of them: Brazos Bend State Park off Highway 59 near George Ranch in the Richmond, Texas, area.

The alligators there are mostly passive, either floating in the water or basking on the shores in the sun. But that does not mean they are harmless. Alligator etiquette must be strictly observed. Obviously, you can't feed them. Nor are you allowed to approach them. For nature lovers and curious tourists alike the good thing is you don't have to go search for them, and don't have to take unnecessary risks. Adult and juvenile alligators populate multiple lakes in this huge park. They are easy to encounter both in the water on the shores, -- and to take pictures of (with zoom). You can even observe them from the fishing pier, or from the trail leading down to the fishing peer. Watch out! Sometimes they even come out to the trail. And don't fight an alligator for a fish you have on the line. Cut your line, and let him have it.

Brazos Bend State Park sign at access road to the park

Address: 21901 FM 762 Needville, TX 77461

Alligator warning sign at fishing pier in Brazos Bend State Park

Floating alligator's back exposed above the water surface in one of the lakes

Egret and alligator on lake shore

For more information on Brazos Bend State Park, check out the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department web site.