A turf war disturbs the peace in Port Aransas. Illustration by Luke Waller It can be tempting for humans to believe that we are above the laws that govern nature. We hear stories about how alligators can camouflage themselves as logs to surprise their prey, and we think, “Well, no offense to the small animals that might fall for that trick, but surely such a simplistic plot wouldn’t work on me, a highly evolved creature with opposable thumbs, critical thinking skills, and the ability to operate standard kitchen appliances.” So it was especially humbling to realize, on a recent visit to Port Aransas, that the large log I had been staring at for several seconds was, in fact, a fully grown gator.