Do Monsters Exist In The Deep Ocean? Reports Show that the Real Monsters Exist in your Backyard

When most people think about danger in the water, they think about exotic and tropical waterways, such as the ocean water surrounding Florida or the Nile River in Africa. Unfortunately, there are more than just sharks and crocodiles to fear when getting in the water.

Recently, local authorities near Chattanooga, Tennessee have been receiving multiple reports of the people being attacked by a fish that is thought to be the alligator gar. An alligator gar will typically grow to be about six feet in length while weighing over 100 pounds. While alligator gars are known to exist in Tennessee, the most shocking aspect of these reports are where people are being attacked.

According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, alligator gars are known to exist in backwaters of lowland rivers or in the brackish waters of estuaries, but they have been known to travel further up rivers like the Mississippi River. The attacks in Tennessee occurred in multiple spots throughout the Ocoee River, a very popular tourist destination for its famed white-water rafting, and the Hiwassee River, which is the river that the Ocoee runs into in Polk County, near the town of Benton.

So far, authorities report that there have been 18 confirmed attacks in the past 12 months along with another 4-8 unconfirmed reports. According to one of the game wardens in the Wildlife Resources Agency, none of the attacks have been life-threatening, but 3-4 attacks were very severe, requiring intensive medical attention.

At the end of the day, the wildlife officers of Tennessee would like warn everyone that attacks and accidents are extremely unlikely when the proper precautions are taken, but some events are unavoidable. The Wildlife Resources Agency cautions people to take the proper care before doing various water activities, and to prevent wearing shiny objects while entering the Ocoee and the Hiwassee River, as shiny objects are known to attract alligator gar.