Local News

Rumors Spread That Gator Country in Beaumont Lost 350 Gators in the Flood

By  | 
Tony Maples Photography

 

With all of the breaking news concerning the aftermath of Harvey, it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction when it comes to misleading articles, word-of-mouth, and social media posts. On Monday, KSAT reported that Gator Country, a park/sanctuary for alligators and other creatures in Beaumont, was at risk of losing their alligators if the water crept up another foot, which was absolutely true.

“All of these are certified, high fences, but when it won’t quit, it won’t quit. We’ve worked around the clock and I don’t know what else to do. We’re truly tired. Everybody’s at the end of it, man. We don’t know what to do,” Owner Gary Saurage told the news.

Though news stations like KSAT didn’t report that the alligators had actually escaped, other outlets grabbed a hold of the story and made it seem as though the reptiles were on the loose. Chron.com even posted a story titled, “No, an alligator farm didn’t flood Beaumont with hungry reptiles,” in an attempt to quell rumors.

But according to Gator Country’s Facebook page, all of their “gators, crocs, snakes, skunks, raccoons, lizards, spiders, rat, prairie dog, turtles, tortoises, ducks, and chickens” are accounted for and safe despite the flooding damage to the property, buildings, and gift shop.