Alligator captured in Passaic River

Authorities captured an alligator in a New Jersey river after a fisherman and police both spotted one of the reptiles floating in the Passaic River on Wednesday. Authorities said they believe someone raised the reptile and then made a decision to dump it in the river. It may have been a pet someone turned loose, as mentioned by Elmwood Park Police Chief Mike Foligno.

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The alligator, estimated to be about 4 to 5 feet long and 25 to 30 pounds, was caught in Elmwood Park around noon, almost four hours after it was first spotted by a fisherman. State officials are reaching out to several organizations, in and out of state, to try and find the alligator a home. But wildlife officials say they are still investigating how it got there, noting that finding an alligator here “is not a common occurrence”. It is currently in a secure location.