Alligators and Florida pretty much go together. New Jersey residents weren't so blasé
New Jersey license plates are no stranger to Florida residents this time of year.
But there's another "snowbird" coming that's of a more reptilian nature.
New Jersey got a taste of what is the "norm" in Florida: the capture of an alligator. The gator managed to elude capture for two weeks, keeping residents there on edge.
Yes, we said New Jersey.
And guess what, they'll be sending the gator to … wait for it … a "sanctuary in Florida." Guess we can never have too many alligators.
Where was the alligator captured?
"Gator behind bars! Piscataway Cops Catch Cold-Blooded Reptile!" a Piscataway Township Facebook post announced Sept. 8.
The Piscataway Township Police Department, just outside of New York City, captured the 4-foot gator as it meandered along a local road at night.
Police officers were able to "subdue" the alligator and lasso a leash around its 3- to 4-foot body. The apprehended gator was then put into a patrol car and taken to police headquarters, where it was secured in a cell.
The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife under the New Jersey Dept. of Environment Protection transported it to the Cape May Zoo, "where it will temporarily stay before being sent to a sanctuary in Florida."
When was the alligator first spotted?
The alligator was first spotted Aug. 23 in a New Jersey lake. Local residents said they originally spotted the alligator in a park lake.
One resident reported seeing a duck on a pond in the park get pulled under the water without resurfacing, calling it “very traumatic."
Where in Florida is the New Jersey alligator going?
That information is not being released.
"As a matter of policy, the NJDEP does not identify the specific location of where relocated wildlife is taken to, for the animal’s safety and security," said Caryn Shinske, senior press officer with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
Ah well, what's one more alligator?
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission estimated there are about 1.3 million alligators in state across all 67 counties. Now it's 1,300,001.
Size matters when it comes to alligators
Generally, an alligator may be considered a nuisance if it's at least 4 feet in length and believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property.
If you’re concerned about an alligator, call the Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), and FWC will dispatch a contracted nuisance alligator trapper.
"Alligators less than 4 feet in length are not large enough to be dangerous to people or pets, unless handled," FWC said.
That's probably not what residents and police in New Jersey were thinking.
Alligators are no strangers across Florida
They manage to go through fences (what do you mean alligators aren't allowed in this golf club?!)
Invite themselves to take a dip in our swimming pools.
Attack us on our own front porch.
And even take a nap under parked cars.
Signs you live in Florida: Weird gator sightings, frozen iguanas, love for Publix subs are signs you live in Florida
Living with alligator: 'Gator Crusader' shows off photos of his daughter with alligators in the living room, swimming pool
Florida even has albino alligators
While rare, white alligators — albino or leucistic — do exist. Some are even multimedia stars on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
But stories about white alligators stopping traffic or being spotted in the wild are not part of the norm in Florida. Mostly because white alligators are commonly found in human care — in an alligator attraction or zoo.
Gators also make their presence known in Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi
Florida isn't alone when it comes to alligators interacting where people congregate.
In Texas, a large alligator was spotted heading toward children swimming in a lake.
In Tennessee, some Vols fans might be wondering if the Gators are coming to town after an alligator was captured in the Whites Creek area of Rhea County
In Mississippi, alligator hunters captured a 650-pound, 13-foot-long alligator in a canal.
Chances of being bitten: Alligators can be found in every Florida county. What are the chances of being bitten?
New Jersey alligator was in good health
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection said the alligator appeared to be in good health and had no apparent injuries.
Possession of alligators and crocodiles among other potentially dangerous species is against the law in New Jersey.
Can you own an alligator in Florida?
Yes, but ...
Live American alligators cannot be taken from the wild without a valid alligator trapping license.
To possess a lawfully acquired American alligator for educational purposes, exhibition, or sale to permitted facilities, you must have a Class II License to Possess Wildlife for Exhibition or Public Sale issued by the FWC Captive Wildlife Program.
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Applicants must be 18 years old, not convicted of certain wildlife related violations and demonstrate 1 year and 1,000 hours of substantial practical experience in the handling, husbandry and care of alligators or other crocodilian species. Activities must be documented and caging requirements apply, according to FWC.
For more information, read the Captive Wildlife Rules and Regulations.
Not every alligator encounter turns out well. Attacks, some fatal, do happen
In February, an 85-year-old woman was killed behind her St. Lucie County home in Florida with her dog when an alligator lunged from the water and grabbed her.
'I saw the gator grab her': Woman describes alligator attack that killed neighbor
Another attack in July in South Carolina was eerily similar. A 69-year-old resident on Hilton Head Island, was attacked and killed while reportedly walking her dog near the edge of a lagoon. Emergency responders were confronted by an alligator, which was guarding the woman’s body and impeding rescue attempts,
A Florida man out for a walk in a country club community in Collier County was bitten in the leg by a nearly 7-foot alligator.
A 13-year-old boy from Oviedo was bitten on the hip as he used a rope swing to cross a creek near Winter Spring.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: New Jersey alligator captured, coming to Florida sanctuary
