Alligators are most often associated with the Southeast and Florida. When wildlife officials received calls of an alligator in Detroit, Michigan, it’s fair to say they were initially skeptical. But a video soon provided some clarity.
Check out the viral video shared across social media:
The short clip shows an alligator sitting on some rocks near a body of water. The video was taken by Lynn Blasey of Hamtramck, a town in the Detroit metropolitan area. She says the video was filmed in Belle Isle Park, which sits in the Detroit River, right across from the city’s downtown area.
Besides plenty of jokes, many in the comments section expressed concern for the animal. Detroit’s harsh winters could be deadly for an animal associated with southern swamps.
According to media sources, at first, the state’s DNR and other wildlife officials were working to find and capture the animal. However, new reports say the alligator was captured by two men who went searching for the animal themselves.
“People were talking about catching her with fish hooks, and all of that, or shooting her and eating her,” one of the rescuers told the Detroit Metro Times. “That’s what woke me up … to be like, I’m going to get this alligator.”
The animal has since been brought to an animal sanctuary.
An Alligator in Detroit?
The Midwest is far from the more tropical climates that alligators are known for. So, how did an alligator end up in Michigan?
That part remains a mystery.
Research shows that alligators move only about two miles a day and typically don’t travel far. So it’s likely someone transported the Detroit alligator to the area and abandoned it.
Alligators can survive in temperatures down to about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Their bodies essentially shut down to deal with the cold. However, colder weather or a prolonged freeze can be deadly, making it unlikely the Detroit alligator would have survived the winter.