Hall County Sheriff’s Office finds alligator in pond

On Tuesday, March 5, 2024, a Hall County Sheriff’s Office deputy came across a large alligator near a pond at Allen Creek Road around 7:30 a.m.

The sighting occurred while the Hall County Sheriff’s Office K-9 teams were holding training exercises near the pond.

According to a statement from the sheriff’s office, “the deputy was laying a track for a K-9 team when he heard a hissing sound and saw the alligator with its mouth open.”

HCSO confirmed that the alligator, estimated to be about 7 to 9 feet long, “charged at the deputy who was able to run up an embankment and evade the animal.”

The deputy was not injured.

HCSO is warning citizens to be careful around waterways in the area, including the stream leading to the pond. It will also install warning signs alerting the public about animals that could pose a danger, such as alligators, snakes and more.

In Georgia, alligators are typically found along and south of the fall line, which connects the cities of Columbus, Macon and Augusta, per the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Hall County is about 57 miles northeast of Atlanta.

The DNR says that alligators found north of the fall line are likely either relocated by humans or have traveled themselves due to weather conditions.

“Severe drought conditions may cause alligators to move considerable distances in search of suitable waters,” per the DNR’s reports on alligators in Georgia.

HCSO confirmed that it has notified the DNR about the alligator in the Hall County pond.