More roaming gators.

Follow-up on the earlier gator farm story: No word on Intracoastal City, but nearly 200 alligators escaped a farm in Moss Point, Mississippi, during Katrina. (Associated Press, in the Sun Herald.) Don't worry, though: alligators are quite docile and shy of people, and they hardly ever eat small children or old ladies.

Meanwhile, the global economy is stinging (iafrica.com):

Hurricane Katrina has had an unforeseen effect on the French fashion industry, which says it fears it will be hit by a shortage of Louisiana alligator hides in coming months.

While there is no shortage of the saurians in the flood waters of New Orleans, where rescuers say they fear the animals are feeding on the bodies of Katrina's victims, the hurricane may have seriously damaged alligator farming.

Well, at least we have our priorities straight.

Lastly, an astute reader pointed out that the swamps of Louisiana are already teeming with alligators; those that escaped found themselves in their natural habitat.