Nature

Debunking Alligator Gar Myths: TPWD Aims to Educate and Mitigate Fears

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Tony Maples Photography

 

Focusing on the misconceptions that many people in Texas have around the Alligator Gar species of fish, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has released a video on their YouTube channel which is aimed at debunking the myths.

Yes, they have prehistoric features – and with good reason. The first myth at which the TPWD took aim was that the species isn’t native to Texas. Not true. Fossils dating back eons have been found to have Alligator Gar ancestors entombed in Lone Star State deposits. The TPWD also tried to mitigate the fears that people have around them, focusing on their natural behavior in their natural habitat.

The third myth (out of the four that were covered in this short video) is that the Alligator Gar is everywhere in Texas. Such is not the case. The details on their numbers and causes for their decline are also highlighted within the TPWD video. This species can be caught through Texas, including the Hill Country, and although many people have a fear of them, that could quite simply be brought down to a level of healthy respect on the basis of learning the facts. The final myth they address is that every gar is an Alligator Gar. Educating viewers on the types of gar found throughout Texas, many might be surprised at the variances and numbers, not to mention the fact that they all stem from a native Texan species!