Is that a Gator? Tennessee wildlife agents make unexpected discovery near creek

The Tennessee Volunteer football team is scheduled to play the University of Florida in an away game Saturday, but after a recent reptilian discovery in East Tennessee, some Vols fans might be wondering if the Gators are coming to town.

A four-foot alligator was trapped by agents with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency in the Whites Creek area of Rhea County, according to Mime Barnes, an agency spokesperson.

More: 'Missed it by a foot.' Three-legged alligator almost breaks MS weight record. See how close

Barnes said the alligator was taken to the Chattanooga Zoo. It is believed the animal was raised in captivity and dumped in the area by its owner.

"Alligators are not native to this part of Tennessee, and we ask that residents do not dump unwanted animals," Barnes said, noting that while they aren't native, alligators can be found in Shelby and Hardin Counties in West Tennessee, where they have been known to travel the Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers through the region.

And they are expanding their range into Tennessee and southern border states, TWRA officials said.

As opportunistic feeders, alligators prey on fish, turtles, snakes, frogs and waterfowl and will occasionally feed on opossums, raccoons and deer.

Alligators can survive Tennessee winters by going into a hibernation-like state called brumation, withstanding periods of ice by sticking their snout out of water before it freezes to continue breathing, according to TWRA.

Catching or shooting alligators is against the law as they are a protected species.

Reach reporter Craig Shoup by email at cshoup@gannett.com and on X @Craig_Shoup. To support his work, sign up for a digital subscription to www.tennessean.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Wildlife agents trap 4-foot alligator in East Tennessee