The Legend Of ALLIGATORS In Southern Utah’s Virgin River!
Growing up in St. George, I spent A LOT of time in the Virgin River. But, did you ever hear the rumor about Alligators in the river? I did... and it scared me every time. BUT WAS IT TRUE?!
It appears the rumor is... TRUE! More than once!
According to United Press International, in 2008 a 3-foot long alligator was found in the Virgin River, near Hurricane and euthanized. It was euthanized after failing to find a good home for the alligator, considering that it would grow to be over 10 feet long!
The next case of Alligators found in the Virgin River was a gator named Clem. He had made his way almost to Mesquite before being found. It was estimated that Clem spent around 20 years in the river before being taken to Phoenix Herpetological Society in Arizona.
A third story has a 6-foot long alligator that was released into the river in 1959. Experts believed that alligators would NOT be able to survive the winters... BUT IT DID! In 1970, someone from the Bloomington Country Club Golf Course made a call about an alligator at the course. People believed it was a hoax. It wasn't.
This has been only THREE stories of Alligators found in the Virgin River here in Southern Utah. The average lifespan of an alligator is 30-50 years, so there's a GREAT CHANCE there is STILL gators in our Virgin River. Make sure you keep your head on a swivel the next time you decide to go swimming or tubing down the river!
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