Unwelcome Neighbor: Alligator Spotted Behind Denton County Homes

An uninvited guest found its way into a Denton County neighborhood on Monday.

A resident in Argyle spotted an adult alligator swimming in the marshy pond behind his home near I-35W, the Cross Timbers Gazette reported.

Mike Mirfield flew his drone over the neighborhood to confirm that it really was gator.

“It was a holy smokes moment,” Mirfield told WFAA.

Alligators are native to Texas, but they're not an everyday sight in DFW.

“Dallas-Fort Worth is at the edge of their natural distribution in Texas. Every year a few pop up here and there," said Jonathan Warner of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Warner suspects the gator wandered away from a nest at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge or a nearby lake, and is likely just passing through.

Still, the residents of Argyle don't quite know what to make of their temporary neighbor.

“People in the neighborhood are sort of going, 'OK, do we put our house up for sale?' Do we put up signs that say ‘Warning: Gators present?'" said Meagan Mann, who lives in the area.

The TPWD won't remove the gator unless it's a threat to people or pets. Warner's advice is to leave the animal alone and stay out of the pond its currently calling home.

“They’re very shy. If they can go through life undetected, they will happily do so. If you know there’s a big alligator in the water like that, don’t try to go near it," Warner said.

Photo: Getty Images