‘It’s not uncommon, but it’s not common either:’ Moss Point Animal Control Officer discusses alligator sightings on beaches

MOSS POINT, Miss. (WXXV) — Alligators seem to be as common as deer or raccoons on the Mississippi Coast.

According to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, Jackson County alone contains roughly one quarter of the state’s entire alligator population, and Hancock County is distantly in second place with around 3,900 gators of its own.

Despite how commonplace they are, these reptiles still turn heads as they venture out more often during the warmer months.

“Well, usually around this time of year we get more calls, simply because its breeding season,” Animal Control Officer Christian Krebs of the Moss Point Police Department explained.

This has become especially true over the past few weeks. Viral social media posts have shown gators popping up on sandy South Mississippi beaches as opposed to their usual riverbanks and marshes.

“It’s not uncommon, but it’s not common either,” Krebs said. “Typically alligators like to stay in the freshwater, but considering that the waters out at the beaches at Ocean Springs and Biloxi are brackish, it just depends on the salinity level and what their temperament to.”

While worrisome to some, according to Krebs, there are simple things everyone can do if they encounter an alligator that keep both humans and animals safe.

“Just keep your distance, don’t feed them, don’t get close to them,” Krebs said.

But remember, before you attempt to call law enforcement on these beachgoing alligators, consider their habitat.

“Unless they’re in someone’s yard, they’re considered in their natural habitat, so we’re not really supposed to mess with them,” Krebs explained.