New Jersey police capture reptile on the loose for two weeks
New Jersey police and wildlife officials have teamed up as alligator investigators over the past two weeks to capture a reptile that is running rampant in two cities. The Middlesex Borough Police Department reported on the missing alligator saga on its Facebook page. The alligator, described as a “non-native reptile” between 3 and 4 feet long, was first spotted Aug. 23 in Ambrose Brook at Victor Crowell Park in Middlesex County, about 38 miles southwest, according to the Middlesex Borough Police Department New York City. The initial sighting led to the closure of the park, which has since reopened to the public with no fishing or swimming allowed, Middlesex Borough Police said in a statement Friday. Police searched for the alligator along with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the state’s Division of Fish and Wildlife Conservation Police and several other agencies until it was finally captured in another city Thursday evening. A Piscataway Township police officer made the big breakthrough catch around 10 p.m. after a concerned citizen spotted the reptile in the township’s Possumtown section, more than 2 miles southeast of where it was first seen in the park, officials said . Body camera footage from Middlesex Borough Patrol Officer Ian Paglia shows the alligator trying to make a getaway on a road – but she is surrounded on both sides by the bright, flashing lights of officers’ vehicles. The reptile then runs into the grass, followed by the officers, as the video from Piscataway Township shows. The officers restrain the alligator with her feet while Paglia restrains it with a blue leash. The alligator, which “appeared to be in good health with no apparent injuries,” was turned over to New Jersey Fish and Wildlife and then transported to Cape May County Zoo for a temporary stay pending its transport to a sanctuary in Florida, wildlife officials posted on Facebook. Alligators are considered a potentially dangerous species in New Jersey, where ownership is illegal, according to New Jersey Fish and Wildlife. The reptiles are sometimes purchased out of state and brought into New Jersey illegally, according to wildlife officials. “Owners often release them into local waters when they determine they can no longer care for the animal,” New Jersey Fish and Wildlife said in a Facebook post.
New Jersey police and wildlife officials teamed up as alligator investigators to capture a reptile that was rampant in two cities over the past two weeks.
The Middlesex Borough Police Department chronicled the story of the missing alligators on their Facebook page.
The alligator, described as a “non-native reptile” between 3 and 4 feet long, was first spotted Aug. 23 in Ambrose Brook at Victor Crowell Park in Middlesex County, according to the Middlesex Borough Police Department.
Middlesex County is located approximately 38 miles southwest of New York City.
The initial sighting led to the closure of the park, which has since reopened to the public with no fishing or swimming permitted, Middlesex County police said in a statement Friday.
Police searched for the alligator along with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the state’s Division of Fish and Wildlife Conservation Police and several other agencies until it was finally captured in another city Thursday evening.
A Piscataway Township police officer made the big catch around 10 p.m. after a concerned citizen spotted the reptile in the township’s Possumtown neighborhood, more than 2 miles southeast of where it was first seen in the park, officials said.
Body camera footage from Middlesex County Patrolman Ian Paglia shows the alligator trying to escape down a road – but it is surrounded on both sides by the bright, flashing lights of officers’ vehicles.
The reptile then runs into the grass, followed by the officers, video from Piscataway Township shows. The officers restrain the alligator with her feet while Paglia restrains it with a blue leash.
The alligator, which “appeared to be in good health and with no apparent injuries,” was turned over to New Jersey Fish and Wildlife and then transported to the Cape May County Zoo for a temporary stay until it was transported to a sanctuary in Florida, as Wildlife officials on the site posted on Facebook.
According to New Jersey Fish and Wildlife, alligators are considered a potentially dangerous species in New Jersey, where possession is illegal.
According to wildlife officials, the reptiles are sometimes purchased out of state and brought into New Jersey illegally.
“Owners often release them into local waters when they determine they can no longer care for the animal,” New Jersey Fish and Wildlife said in a Facebook post.
