Texas rangers subdue 12ft alligator in Houston floods

There have been several sightings of other wild animals on the loose including wild boar, snakes and raccoons

Alligator sightings have increased as the reptiles seek higher ground away from floodwaters (Reuters)

Game wardens and state troopers were called in to capture a massive alligator after it was displaced by the flood waters caused by Hurricane Harvey.

It took five men to control the 12ft beast before they could transport it to a less populated area.

The Texas game wardens posted a tweet of the incident showing five lawmen sitting on top of the alligator.

The flooding has forced many alligators in Texas to seek higher ground, in some cases putting them in close contact with humans. Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office has been warning people to stay well away.

"Leave alone until water recedes," the sheriff's office tweeted, along with photos of alligators on a driveway, a front porch and beneath a car.

Harris County deputy constables also had to help a man who found a 9ft alligator in the dining room of his home near Lake Houston. Texas game wardens and Wildernex Wildlife Control captured the reptile within 20 minutes and released it back in its natural habitat.

None of animal sanctuary Gator Country’s 350 alligators have escaped, said its owner, Gary Saurage, after he was swamped with calls.

"We're getting calls left and right about sightings," he said. "There's just no way I can respond to all of them right now. I'm focused on containing all our gators here,” he told the Beaumont Enterprise.

However, due to the rising water, he feared they could be fighting a losing battle.

“We’re less than a foot from (water) going over the fences,” Mr Saurage told TV station KFDM.

It’s a common occurrence for local residents to see alligators during storms but the unprecedented flooding has meant that the reptiles can travel many miles from their original location.

"People need to let the water recede and these alligators will go back to their natural habitat," Mr Saurage said.

“Don’t feed, don’t harass it, and don’t shoot them,” was the advice given by John Warren, head of the Texas Parks and Wildlife alligator programme.

There have been several sightings of other wild animals on the loose amid the flooding.

These include a wild hog running around in the Woodlands neighbourhood, snakes, raccoons and fire ants.

“Mammals that don’t want to be in the water... may end up being in your attic or garage,” Kelly Norrid, an urban wildlife biologist for Texas Parks and Wildlife, told the Denver Post.