Man hid an alligator in his Florida garage to keep it from being eaten, report says

A homeowner says he was keeping an alligator captive in his garage to prevent it from being eaten, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says.

The odd discovery was made Oct. 3 when a state wildlife investigator got a tip that an alligator was seen in the garage of home on Limewood Lane in northwest Orlando, according to an affidavit.

A visit to the cul-de-sac revealed a “35-40 gallon aquarium containing an American alligator, approximately 3.5 (feet) long” could be seen sitting near the garage’s open door, the report says.

The 50-year-old head of the household said he was on his way to work Sept. 23 when he saw the alligator and stopped to catch it, investigators say. The man’s intention, he told officials, was to take the reptile to Gatorland, an alligator refuge, “so it would not be harmed.”

“He saw it crossing the road and he did not want it to get run over or for someone to pick it up and take it home and eat it,” the report states.

The man did not have the required state permits to keep an alligator, and the investigating officer noted the reptile was not receiving proper care. The aquarium was also poorly secured, making the alligator a potential threat to safety, according to the report.

“Not only was the aquarium small but it was dirty and only had a small mesh top with dumbbell weights holding it down,” the report states.

Investigators charged the man with unlawful possession or transporting of an alligator, and possession of an alligator without a permit, the report states.

The alligator was seized by the FWC and released into Lake Apopka, just west of Orlando.

Florida’s waterways are home to an estimated 1.3 million alligators, and they grow to as much as 14 feet long, the state says.

This story was originally published October 26, 2023 at 2:55 PM with the headline "Man hid an alligator in his Florida garage to keep it from being eaten, report says."