NEW PLYMOUTH – On the morning of Friday, Oct. 21, Fish and Game took possession of an alligator that was found by a New Plymouth resident the previous night. The alligator is currently being housed at a Fish and Game facility.
At approximately 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 20, Officer Brian Marek received a call from the reporting party, who said that they were walking their dog off SE First Avenue, south of New Plymouth, when they spotted something moving the brush and discovered the 3.5-foot alligator.
The reporting party loaded the alligator into a nearby horse trailer and called Fish and Game, who picked up the animal the following morning.
Fish and Game is investigating where the alligator may have come from, and anyone with information is asked to contact the Southwest Regional Office at 208-465-8465 during normal business hours, or the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at 1-800-632-5999.
“In all likelihood, this alligator got loose from someone, and we are interested in finding the owner,” said Regional Conservation Officer Matt O’Connell.
Without proper permits, it is illegal to possess alligators (or any crocodilian) in Idaho, and it is illegal to release captive crocodilians into the wild.
