Alligators seen swimming in the Rio Grande

You may think it's a bunch of crock but officials say they have seen an increase in gators in the Rio Grande.

A video of an alligator swimming in the Rio Grande has been surfacing online.

The video which was shot by Border Patrol near Eagle Pass shows the gator swimming near the agent’s boat.

This has people wondering about the safety in the water.

Tomo Miller with the Lamar Bruni Vergara Environmental Science Center says that while alligators in the Rio Grande are rare, it is not uncommon.

He says that these creatures are probably reaching the river from nearby rivers or were abandoned pets.

Miller adds that gators prefer calm waters and that since the Rio Grande has been better controlled lately, it is more conducive for gators.