HOUSTON, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- Two Texas men illegally killed a 600-pound alligator that was popular among nature lovers, authorities allege.
Authorities have charged David Roach and Bryan Elliott, both of Pasadena, with misdemeanor charges of taking wildlife resources for allegedly killing the 13-foot-long alligator in a protected coastal preserve, the Houston Chronicle reported Friday.
Hunting on protected lands is prohibited, making the capture and fatal shooting of the alligator in May an illegal act punishable by up to a year in jail.
The slain alligator was a popular attraction among people who taking ecology tours conducted by the Armand Bayou Nature Center in Pasadena, said Mark Kramer, the center's stewardship coordinator.
Kramer said the killing of the reptile took place on the preserve, several miles away from the nature center.
"I can tell you a number of Houstonians would paddle to this destination to view this individual animal," Kramer told the Chronicle. "It was a waste, a tragic loss. It belonged to all Texans, and it was senseless."
