The photo of a huge alligator over the waters of the Rio Grande, which was published over the weekend on social networks by the United States Border Patrol (CBP) and quickly went viral, gave rise to conspiracy theories that the federal agency described to Noticias Telemundo as unfounded.
Users on social networks and even the media have speculated on
the alleged intentions of the US immigration authorities to 'plant' alligators
in the river — where dozens of migrants swim daily — to deter irregular immigration.
A CBP spokesman debunked that false conspiracy theory, saying the agency has no intention of using reptiles as a tactic to prevent immigration.
"The Border Patrol has not put any alligators in the Rio Grande and has no plans to do so," the spokesman said in an email sent to Noticias Telemundo.
CBP did not confirm the exact location where the controversial photograph was taken, but the spokesman estimated that it could be near Eagle Pass, on the Texas border with Coahuila, Mexico, where wildlife experts say the presence of alligators is rare.
"The rumors resurface from time to time, when there are alligator sightings," explained the spokesman, who
said he was not aware of any tragic incidents between these reptiles and the migrants who cross the river.
The photograph quickly went viral in the context of a drastic increase in the number of migrants trying to reach US soil.
According to CBP data, there were more than 260,000 encounters in April alone, almost 10 times more than those reported for the same month two years ago, in 2020. In the case of nationalities such as Cubans, the Joe Biden Administration deals with the largest exodus in the recent history of the communist island.
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"In the Rio Grande you can find the species known as
alligator mississippiensis
or American crocodile, native to Mexico and the United States," Samuel Serrano, an expert on these reptiles at the Mexican Institute of Fauna, Flora and Social Sustainability, told Noticias Telemundo.
Although most species of crocodiles do not represent a danger to humans, "
if the animal is hungry and considers an individual to be prey, it may attack.
They are opportunistic and will attack the first thing they see as a potential source ."
of food”, explained Serrano.
[“I want to start a normal life”: a Cuban crosses the Rio Grande with only one leg and portrays the drama of the exodus]
In the United States, this species is more present in reservoirs in North Carolina, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida.
In Mexico, it is frequently found in states such as Jalisco, Oaxaca and Tamaulipas, but not in Coahuila, where many of the migrant crossings take place through the river area located in the city of Piedras Negras, explains the expert.
"This is an animal that does manage to move several kilometers.
It is possible that it has gone a little further west, in the state of Coahuila," said Serrano. "It seems that it went exploring, it moved a little from where it is usually found, so its sighting can be considered an isolated event.”
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Another possible explanation for the presence of the huge reptile recently photographed, he added, is that those who keep these animals as pets often release them once they reach a size and weight that are not sustainable for the domestic environment.
The reptile in the photo
measures approximately three meters
, according to the expert.
Although there have been no reports of attacks on migrants in the recent history of crossings through the reservoir that divides part of Mexico and the United States, that "does not mean that it is not possible that they will attack an individual who could swim across the river," he said.
Crocodiles, he said, are also "scavenger" animals that can feed on carcasses, "which may explain why some missing migrants in the river are never found."
"We can't trust each other"
This week two bodies were found in the river near Eagle Pass, one of them was a young Venezuelan.
According to CBP, 90 people have been found dead in the reservoir so far this fiscal year.
Between April and September, crocodile sightings increase, when these animals emerge seeking the warmth of the sun with the arrival of spring.
That is why Serrano recommends taking measures to avoid fatal incidents.
“People should stay away from them, stay on the shore, not feed them, avoid pets such as dogs and cats being near them.
They are opportunistic animals and we cannot be trusted,” she says.
Recommendations of the Mexican Institute of Fauna, Flora and Sustainability to avoid incidents with crocodiles. Mexican Institute of Fauna, Flora and Social Sustainability.
Reports of alligator sightings in the Rio Grande go back to at least 2006, when a group of Mexican fishermen captured a 7.5-foot crocodile in the reservoir.
In 2019, a 6-foot-long reptile was also caught on video by Border Patrol agents in Piedras Negras, on the Texas border.
Conspiracy theories about alleged deterrent tactics against migrants are also not new.
In 2019, then-President Donald Trump denied reports that his administration had privately discussed the option of fortifying the southern border with snakes and alligators.
“The press is trying to sell the fact that I wanted a trench filled with alligators and snakes, with an electrified fence and sharp spikes at the top on our Southern Border,” Trump tweeted at the time.
“I may be tough on border security, but not that hard.
The press has gone crazy."