Office of Mineral Resources

Whatever Happened to the DNR Alligator?

Baton Rouge—Just in case you were wondering whatever happened to the DNR alligator that was once showcased in the old building on North 4th Street, DNR Deputy Secretary Katherine Vaughan has the answer.

And the answer is . . . all 640 pounds of this massive mounted gator was recently moved by truck to Tensas parish, destined to become the show stopper in the new wildlife museum being established by a group of volunteer community leaders in the town of St. Joseph.

Vaughan was greeted and treated to the key to the city by Mayor Edward Brown and Economic Development Coordinator Gina Burgess and members of the museum board upon her visit there last week. She and the Newellton Elemetary 3rd grade class were invited to join DWF Wildlife agent Larry May, on a field trip of the museum (now under renovation) that will also house a small black bear and most of the other creatures once seen in the wildlife exhibit on the first floor of the old State Land and Natural Resources building.

"Alligator" was meant to be shown-off it seems and was donated years ago to DWF and DNR for public outreach and education. Believed to have been caught in 1984, from the waters of Lake St. Joseph in Tensas parish, our awe-inspiring alligator has moved back home to continue to delight children and tourist from far and wide!