The discovery of a newborn alligator in a vacant lot in New Jersey over the weekend has sparked debate about how the ferocious reptile came to be abandoned the Garden State.
The Monmouth County SPCA stated in a Facebook post on Tuesday that the baby alligator was discovered in an empty lot in Neptune late Sunday night after a resident observed a curious container adjacent to his home.
The juvenile alligator was returned to the shelter, given a clean tank with enough air circulation, and placed in a climate-controlled room. The alligator will be delivered to the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife in the near future, according to the department.
The accompanying photographs depict the alligator resting in its new enclosure and in the arms of an SPCA employee.
“It is illegal for New Jersey residents to possess alligators or caimans, which are considered potentially dangerous exotic species,” said Ross Licitra, executive director of the MCSPCA.
In addition to posing a threat to the public, keeping these animals in captivity necessitates specialized care that can only be provided by trained professionals.
Adult American alligators, which may reach 15 feet in length and weigh up to one thousand pounds, are mainly found in the Deep South. On the original Facebook post, users speculated as to how the alligator wound up in the northeast.
Someone wrote, “Some irresponsible person got this poor animal and then realized they could no longer properly care for it, so they abandoned it in the cold.”
“What is wrong with individuals? If you can’t control your animals, don’t abandon them on the side of the road, lamented another.
Not only is the New Jersey alligator not the only scaly monster making news in unusual locations, but there are others. A Wisconsin cat owner was shocked last month when their kitty brought a complete alligator skull into their yard.
Burnt Toast’s owner, Wendy Wiesehuegel, told the media at the time that Burnt Toast was “very proud of himself.”
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