Alligator Workshop
Though it was a bit
warm, this was a great workshop. The class filled quickly as only a limited
number of spaces are available.This workshop was held at the Murphee Wildlife
refuge outside of Port Arthur, Tx. Our instructors were K.J. Lodrigue and Amos
Cooper. After all had arrived, around dark, we headed out into the night for a
boat ride. This ride was to teach us how to take surveys on alligator
populations. We covered a large area, and though not as many gators were seen
as we had hoped, plenty enough were around to teach us how to judge length.
After returning, we relaxed and compared notes on our experience. The next day
had a mix of indoor and outdoor activities. Classroom covered habitat,
preservation, game laws, biology, etc.. Once outside, we got first hand, and in
hand experience with the alligator. We learned of a method of testing the
gator's diet called the LeVage. This is where water is pumped into a gator,
it's sides are compressed, and it expells the contents of it's stomach. I was
assured this does no harm to the gator, just makes him hungry. Sound gross?
Really, it wasn't bad. You get so involved in dialog, the gross factor
disappears. We were taught methods of taking DNA samples from the alligators
tail. And told how this information as well as dietary information is used by
colleges, other wildlife depts., and various study groups.
The last thing on the
list was a trip to some nesting sites. The area of these sites is protected
marsh, though very near refineries. The nest we seen had several eggs. We were
told there is a certain way to lift eggs. If done improperly, the egg will
never hatch. We were also how the refuge gators were caught without harm, kinda
fishing without a hook. K.J. even brought a gator up next to the boat for
us.
This was a very
informative workshop and I would like to thank the staff at the refuge for
putting it on. This class also certified me to do area surveys for gators, an
added bonus.
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