The alligator that bid goodbye to its pet owner, who had raised it for over two decades after stealing it as an egg, had returned to its original home.
Pet Alligator Returns to Zoo in Texas
In a previous report from Science Times, a woman confessed to stealing a gator egg when she volunteered at the Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo. She raised the beast as her pet for over 20 years but did not have a proper permit.
The alligator was confiscated. After weeks of preparations, the gator was moved to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo Friday.
Jarrod Forthman, the zoo's director, told USA Today that the gator was doing fantastic, and they had already introduced her to the group when she arrived at the zoo. Forthman said it was easier to introduce female gators because males tend to be more territorial.
The zoo visitors can now see the alligator in the big pond. Forthman acknowledged the woman who raised the alligator because the animal turned nice and healthy. Unfortunately for her, the law does not allow her to raise it as a pet.
Forthman said the woman, whom they never named, is welcome to visit and see the gator as often as she wants because even if she's not the rightful owner, she had the alligator for decades.
Game warden Joann Garza previously told KSAT that the alligator was very friendly to the woman who raised her.
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What Happened to the Woman Who Raised the Alligator
Alligators are protected under Texas law. Forthman clarified that no one could take, purchase, sell, or possess an alligator without a permit, which is difficult to get.
Garza said Texas residents could only keep alligators for farming, educational or zoological purposes.
Alligator farming is keeping more than one gator for commercial purposes, including selling alligators, eggs, hides, meat, or other parts of alligators.
No one can possess live alligators without securing an alligator farmer permit (License Type 149) issued by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The annual permit is $252.
The woman who possessed the alligator was cited with two misdemeanors, Texas Game Wardens public information officer Jen Shugert told USA Today. Each citation carries up to a $500 fine.
Texas Park Wildlife shared a clip on Instagram after the alligator was rescued and relocated to its new home. It stated that alligators don't make good pets.
Russ Johnson, president of the Phoenix Herpetological Society, warned that gators are terrible pets because they don't return your affection like dogs or cats. Instead, keeping them under your care is like dealing with a dinosaur because they have strong jaws with 80 teeth, and they could get cranky and bite when they don't eat enough.
Feeding them is also expensive because they need whole chickens or porks with the bone for nourishment. Also, they could grow up to 14 feet and outgrow the space allocated to them at home or outlive the pet owner as they can live up to 80 years. So, it's best to let them live where they should be.
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Check out more news and information on Alligators in Science Times.
