© Daniella Heminghaus | Bucks County Courier Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
(Freeport, NY) – Officials are trying to identify the person who illegally dumped an alligator in a pond in Nassau County last month.
Environmental Conservation Police Officers found the abandoned alligator in a freshwater pond at Cow Meadow Preserve in the village of Freeport on August 7th. Authorities say a local birdwatcher reported spotting the juvenile alligator, provided a clear photo of the animal and remained on the scene until responding officers arrived.
Officers used a canoe, safely capturing the reptile in the pond and transporting the alligator to a licensed rehabilitator for care, pending permanent relocation.
In New York State, it is illegal to own or sell an alligator or crocodile without proper permits from the Department of Environmental Conservation.
