(Trends Wide) — A 8-foot alligator, allegedly taken from a Texas zoo nearly 20 years ago while still in an egg or hatchling, has been returned to the park after it was discovered living illegally in the backyard in a home near Austin, according to authorities.
Investigators were at a property in rural Caldwell County for an unrelated incident when they saw the alligator in a pen, Texas Game Wardens spokeswoman Jen Shugert said Monday.
A woman on the property told investigators that she had taken an alligator egg nearly 20 years ago when she was volunteering at a zoo, according to Shugert.
“Although there was a backyard habitat for the alligator, it had outgrown the pen because it was nearly 8 feet long,” Shugert said.
Once wildlife agency officials discovered the woman couldn’t meet the requirements for proper permits to keep the alligator, a team went to the property, captured the reptile, and brought it to Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo. , its original home, according to the zoo.
The zoo – located in New Braunfels, less than 50 kilometers northeast of San Antonio – released a video Friday of the large reptile being transported from a truck, through the facilities and to an enclosure with other alligators.
“We received a call from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department about an alligator that someone has apparently had in their possession for over 20 years,” a zoo employee said in the video.
“Evidently they were volunteers here at Animal World & Snake Farm a long time ago,” and apparently took the alligator, either an egg or hatchling, “and have kept it as a pet for at least 20 years,” he added.
According to the employee, the alligator will live the rest of his life at the zoo.
The woman was cited for two misdemeanors: illegal possession of an alligator egg and possession of an alligator without proper permits, Shugert said. Each of them carries fines of up to US$500.
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(Trends Wide) — A 8-foot alligator, allegedly taken from a Texas zoo nearly 20 years ago while still in an egg or hatchling, has been returned to the park after it was discovered living illegally in the backyard in a home near Austin, according to authorities.
Investigators were at a property in rural Caldwell County for an unrelated incident when they saw the alligator in a pen, Texas Game Wardens spokeswoman Jen Shugert said Monday.
A woman on the property told investigators that she had taken an alligator egg nearly 20 years ago when she was volunteering at a zoo, according to Shugert.
“Although there was a backyard habitat for the alligator, it had outgrown the pen because it was nearly 8 feet long,” Shugert said.
Once wildlife agency officials discovered the woman couldn’t meet the requirements for proper permits to keep the alligator, a team went to the property, captured the reptile, and brought it to Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo. , its original home, according to the zoo.
The zoo – located in New Braunfels, less than 50 kilometers northeast of San Antonio – released a video Friday of the large reptile being transported from a truck, through the facilities and to an enclosure with other alligators.
“We received a call from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department about an alligator that someone has apparently had in their possession for over 20 years,” a zoo employee said in the video.
“Evidently they were volunteers here at Animal World & Snake Farm a long time ago,” and apparently took the alligator, either an egg or hatchling, “and have kept it as a pet for at least 20 years,” he added.
According to the employee, the alligator will live the rest of his life at the zoo.
The woman was cited for two misdemeanors: illegal possession of an alligator egg and possession of an alligator without proper permits, Shugert said. Each of them carries fines of up to US$500.
