COPPELL, Texas — Joann Eubank and Johnny Ahrens were celebrating a birthday with a family dinner in the backyard when the whole vibe of their party switched on a dime.
Out of nowhere, Ahrens recalls, someone at the gathering called out, "There’s a gator!"
And, sure enough, right there in the creek behind their Northeast Coppell home, there was an alligator, indeed.
The really wild part? Even a few days later, the five-to-six foot alligator -- something of a fixture and attraction in the neighborhood at this point -- is still there every time Ahrens has checked.
"It’s about 8:15 every night," Eubank said. "He’ll come up here, and he’s just hanging out. I think we’ve just gotten used to the guy.”
Coppell's newest phenomenon isn't the first alligator spotted in North Texas. Surely, it won't be the last, either. Reports of gators in North Texas waterways date all back to the 1800s. And, as a native species, they've been in the area for hundreds of years.
Even so, Ahrens called police upon initially seeing his newest neighbor. When they weren't much help, he reached out to the city and animal services.
"I saw them drive down the street," Ahrens said. "But, y'know, I think this is probably out of their pay scale a little bit."
The City of Coppell told WFAA it is in contact with Texas Parks and Wildlife about how to handle the gator in the creek. In the meantime, city officials are asking residents to avoid swimming, fishing and entering the water in the area. They're also urging residents not to feed the gator -- which, under Texas law, is a misdemeanor that comes with a $500 fine.
Another person Ahrens called -- the Texas Game Warden -- told him that, as long as the alligator stays put, it’s in its natural habitat and there's only so much that can be done.
There’s just one concern for Ahrens and Eubank for now: Could the gator find his way around the fence that separates the creek from the neighborhood and into their yard?
"This creek runs around and goes up to the street," Ahrens explained.
"If he ever got around, he’ll walk out to the street," Eubank said.
Even so, the couple laughed when asked if they're scared over the gator lounging in the creek behind their house.
"Not really," Eubank said with a laugh. "As long as the fence is here, then we’re good.”