Authorities Remove an Alligator From Another Kentucky Home

So, here's the deal...on the list of things I never want to have happen when I return home--alongside realizing I left an appliance on or the window open--is finding a living thing inside that wasn't there when I left.

Of course, I don't count insects. But I do count much larger creatures--humans included--with much bigger legs. A homeowner in northern Kentucky knows exactly what I'm talking about. What a WONDERFUL surprise (insert a sarcastic tone) to find an ALLIGATOR, of all things, in your house. In Florida or Louisiana, that might not be as a big surprise--still unwanted, though--but in the Bluegrass State? And in the NORTH?

It was only a three-footer, but, in my opinion, that's three feet too long.

Alligators in Kentucky -- a History

Yes, you read that right. There is a HISTORY of gators being found in Kentucky. And before you start to think the Commonwealth's ecological balance has shifted, it hasn't. Not to this extent, anyway. Alligators STILL are not indigenous to Kentucky. That hasn't stopped moments like this, however.

Well, my next question is, "What's the deal with all the three-foot-long alligators?" Of course, I'd answer that with, "Be thankful they're not longer."

Now, here's a FOUR-footer found in Ballard County KY back in 2018. At least it was in its natural habitat even IF it shouldn't have been here in the first place.

What ARE Alligators Doing in Kentucky?

This one could be a "process of elimination" answer. Since it's unlikely the largest species of reptile in North America would decide to "relocate" to cooler climes, you have to think they're getting here illegally. Just last year, authorities responded to reports of an alligator discovered in the wild. The Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources indicated it had been illegally released. For safety reasons, the creature had to be euthanized.

Best practices? Stop bringing exotic creatures that pose a threat into areas where they do not belong. You want an alligator as a pet? Have you SEEN how big they get?

Just leave them where they are, and visit them at zoos or aquariums. It's really very easy.

[SOURCE: WLWT-Cincinnati]