Gator prowls waters of Texas sinkhole

DAISETTA, Texas - The giant Texas sinkhole that formed this month is now a lake big enough to become the home of an alligator.

Area residents believe the reptile was washed into the 600-footdiameter crater by water from surrounding swamps.

Ground water is seeping into the hole, and its exposed walls are about 30 feet high, the Houston Chronicle reported in its online edition Friday.

Sightings of an alligator in thesinkhole were confirmed Friday when a Texas Railroad Commission worker snapped photographs.

Danny Diaz, a Texas Parks and Wildlife game warden, said a patch of crude oil floating on the east side of the crater might irritate the alligator's skin, but the reptile is using the water on the other side.

"It's not really safe for anyone to climb down into that hole now to get anything out," said Diaz, pointing to stress cracks in theground that encircle the hole. "The sinkhole could start growing again, especially if we get a saturating rain."

The commission is still looking into what may have caused the collapse and if other underground voids might cave-in later.

Front Section, Pages 12 on 05/18/2008

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