BROOKHAVEN — Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks named Andrew Arnett the next director of Mississippi’s Alligator Program. He previously served as a game warden in Southwest Mississippi and has worked in the wildlife and law enforcement bureaus in his time with the MDWFP. 

Russ Walsh, Chief of Mississippi’s Wildlife Bureau, confirmed Arnett was hired as the next Alligator Program director on May 1. Ricky Flynt worked as the previous program director and announced his departure from a 29 and a half year career with the MDWFP to join Mississippi Outdoors Forever Stewardship Trust Fund as a project manager. Flynt’s last commission meeting as Alligator Program director was this January in Cleveland. 

Flynt said after the January commission meeting his successor needed to, “read a lot, spend a lot of time in the field working with alligators and listen to our customers.”

Walsh said Arnett’s first day was May 1. Walsh said he knew the qualities and traits they were looking for in the next program director. Arnett has worked in a management position before when he served as a manager of the Nanih Waiya Wildlife Management Area. 

“He has an interest in the program and I’m glad to have him back in the wildlife bureau,” Walsh said.

This story will be updated with more information.