It’s been more than six weeks since the initial sighting of the Lake Erie alligator . There have been no confirmed sightings since.
For a better understanding of the whereabouts of the alligator, wildlife pundit Jim Moulton, who goes by the name Bwana Jim , offers his expertise on alligators.
Moulton, from the Rochester, New York area, has made Erie appearances at reptile expos and with his traveling wildlife shows. He has more than 25 years of experience handling animals ranging from armadillos to exotic birds and alligators.
Moulton believes this alligator was someone’s pet let loose into the wild .
“It was definitely someone’s pet and it was a foolish thing to do,” Moulton said. “It’s not the first time that people have been placing gators in ponds or lakes. They escape, they are good escape artists.”
From his experience at wildlife expos, Moulton sees alligators being sold as babies under a foot in length.
When the animals grow into a reptile over six feet in length, they become hard to tame as pets. That is when Moulton says they likely could get released into the wild.