Alligator swam to Texas beach from Louisiana

May 26 (UPI) -- National Parks officials in Texas said an alligator found sunning itself on a beach had apparently swam through the Gulf of Mexico from Louisiana.

The Padre Island National Seashore said in a Facebook post that the alligator was found sunning in the Malaquite Beach area this week, and officials determined from its tail notches and tags on its rear feet that the reptile had last been seen in Louisiana.

"After consulting with our partners at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the animal was transported to a rehabilitation facility to recover from its long journey," the post said.

The National Ocean Service said alligators are primarily freshwater animals, but their bodies can tolerate saltwater environments for short times.