Alligator found in Wisconsin’s Long Lake, possible owner comes forward

An alligator was recently found swimming in a lake – in Wisconsin. 

On Wednesday, J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue, based in Menasha, Wisconsin, posted about the 18-24-inch American alligator on Facebook. 

The small gator was found in Long Lake in Fond du Lac and Sheboygan Counties, according to the Facebook post.

They typically live from North Carolina to the Rio Grande in Texas, in and around freshwater rivers, swamps, marshes and lakes, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute website. 

J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue wrote on Facebook that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources brought the gator to the shelter temporarily.

The animal rescue said it would keep the alligator for just one week before bringing it to a sanctuary. 

In an email to Fox News Digital, John Moyles, the director of J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue, said the alligator is doing well, resting comfortably and enjoying meals of alligator pellets, insects and even a frozen mouse.

The alligator’s possible owner has also come forward, Moyles said.

“The individual said that they had [the alligator] in an outdoor enclosure and that his daughter accidentally left the cage open, which allowed the alligator to escape,” Moyles said. 

Moyles said that after discussing the options with the potential owner, the decision was made to bring the alligator to an accredited sanctuary. 

“We have been working with Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary in Athens, Michigan, and have a plan in place to send the alligator there on Monday,” Moyles said.