Elusive Alligator Captured After Week-Long Chase
A feisty 4-foot alligator, causing quite a stir in a New Jersey town, has finally been captured by the local police after more than a week of evading authorities. The elusive reptile led to the closure of a park during its escapades.
The Piscataway Township Police Department, in a Facebook post, triumphantly announced the capture, stating, “Gator behind bars! Piscataway Cops Catch Cold-Blooded Reptile!” They even shared body camera footage of the gator’s final moments before capture.
This gator had been making quite the splash, first spotted on August 23rd in Lake Creighton, also known as the Duck Pond, and the Ambrose Brook. Now, you might be wondering, why was this gator so special? Well, it’s because alligators don’t belong in New Jersey, and no one knows exactly how it ended up there.
One eyewitness claimed to have seen the alligator attacking a duck and pulling it under the water. But despite efforts to find either the reptile or the duck’s remains, they remained elusive.
The daring capture took place when a resident reported seeing the alligator strolling down a street in the Possumtown neighborhood around 10 p.m. Thursday. Patrol Officer Ian Paglia took charge, and the body camera footage shows officers chasing the gator up and down the street. Finally, one officer managed to pin down the reptile with his foot and fashion an improvised leash under the flashing police lights.
The captured alligator is now in the custody of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Fish & Wildlife Division. Its future destination is likely a local zoo or sanctuary.
In the world of strange alligator encounters, this one certainly takes the cake. 🐊