An Alligator Has Reportedly Been Spotted In This Southwest Michigan River

A Michigan college has closed its nature center "until further notice" after receiving two reports of alligator sightings in a nearby river, according to a Facebook post.

Albion College closed their Whitehouse Nature Center Sunday (July 10) after learning about two independent sightings of an alligator in the Kalamazoo River near the nature center. According to their Facebook post, the gator was first reported on Saturday. The post reads:

Over the weekend, Albion College received two independent sightings of a possible alligator in the Kalamazoo River at the Whitehouse Nature Center. The College is working directly with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and other local agencies to resolve the situation as safely and quickly as possible. While there has been no confirmation of an alligator after multiple searches, Albion College is taking every precaution to ensure the safety of the campus and the surrounding community. As a result, the Whitehouse Nature Center will remain closed until further notice.

While Alligators prefer the warm, humid marshes typically found in Louisiana, Florida and Alabama, Alligators are found in Michigan every year. Most of them are small alligators living in aquariums and kept as pets in people's homes, but the occasional gator has been spotted in ponds and creeks.