A juvenile alligator was captured at a Long Island pond and is now at a rehab facility, awaiting relocation.
FREEPORT, N.Y. — A juvenile alligator spotted in a freshwater pond on Long Island was safely captured by environmental conservation officers earlier this month and transported to a licensed rehabilitator.
The sighting was reported Aug. 7 by a local birdwatcher at Cow Meadow Preserve in Freeport. They provided officers with a clear photo of the reptile and remained at the pond until three environmental conservation officers arrived, according to a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation newsletter.
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The officers responded with a canoe, and they captured the alligator without incident. The juvenile is now at a rehabilitation facility, awaiting permanent relocation.
The DEC reminds people that in New York State, it is illegal to import, possess, or sell alligators, caimans, crocodiles, or products made from these animals without the proper permits.
An investigation is ongoing to identify the individual or individuals responsible for unlawfully releasing the reptile.
The DEC said unauthorized possession of exotic reptiles carries legal consequences and urged anyone with information about the release to contact authorities.
Alligators in New York are nothing new to the DEC, which in 2024 responded to a report of an alligator in a Hamburg home. The DEC, back in March of this year, appealed a court ruling that favored Albert the alligator’s owner, Tony Cavallaro, in his battle to bring the 750-pound reptile back home in Western New York.
The DEC seized Albert in March of 2024, claiming Cavallaro didn’t have a valid permit. A judge ruled in February that New York State must process Cavallaro’s renewal application for a Dangerous Animal License within 30 days.