Wildlife officials in Fort Worth are searching for whoever is responsible for shooting and killing two alligators at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge, with a third animal surviving its injuries. The attacks occurred between May and July 2026 at the protected preserve along Lake Worth, and a criminal investigation is now underway.
Texas Game Wardens confirmed that three alligators were targeted in separate incidents over the course of roughly two months. Two of the animals did not survive and a third was found with what appeared to be a crossbow bolt or arrow fragment lodged in its neck.
Jared Wood, the Nature Center’s manager, said one of the dead alligators was a young animal he had personally tagged as part of an ongoing wildlife study. The carcass was discovered by visitors and kayakers who alerted refuge staff, and Wood later found evidence suggesting someone attempted to remove the animal’s head by twisting and pulling it from the spine.
The surviving alligator is a nesting female that lives on the refuge grounds. Wood and his team first spotted her injury through footage captured on a game camera before going out to document the wound more closely.
Wood described the incidents as deeply troubling and said the attacks target a keystone species that is legally protected under state law. He acknowledged that some people fear or dislike alligators but stressed that the animals play a critical role in the local ecosystem and are native to the region.
Hunting is strictly prohibited at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge. Even in areas where alligator hunting is permitted in Texas, it is tightly regulated and limited to specific seasons, with mandatory tagging and reporting requirements. Leaving carcasses behind is also illegal.
In response to the attacks, Texas Game Warden Mariah Hampton said patrols are being made more unpredictable to deter further incidents. Wardens and Lake Worth marshals are also watching for signs of snagging, a practice that involves using a weighted hook to snag an animal by the head or body.
Operation Game Thief is offering a reward of up to one thousand dollars for information that leads to a conviction in the case. Tips can be submitted anonymously by calling 1-800-792-4263, by texting 847411 with the keyword TXOGT followed by the tip, through the Operation Game Thief website, or via the Texas OGT mobile app.
Officials are urging anyone who witnessed suspicious activity at the nature center or along the Lake Worth shoreline in recent months to come forward with information.
