Politics & Government
Later, Gator: Squatter Wrangled from Backyard Koi Pond
A young, three-foot alligator was fished out of a koi pond and corralled in a pet carrier for a trip to a new home Friday.
A Montgomery County resident spotted a scary – and scale-covered – intruder with 70 or more teeth in a koi pond Friday.
Officers were called about 10 a.m. to Denit Estates Drive in Brookeville after a homeowner found a young alligator in the pond just off the home’s patio area.
It took authorities three hours to drain the pond before they could capture the 3-foot gator.
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According to the National Zoo, the average size for an adult female alligator is 8.2 feet, while the average size for a male is 11.2 feet. Alligators call freshwater habitats from North Carolina to the Rio Grande River in Texas home.
Maryland law prohibits owning exotic pets such as alligators.
Find out what's happening in Montgomery Villagefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The young gator has been relocated to the Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo in Frederick County, according to Montgomery County Police.
Officers from MCP, Animal Control, and the Department of Natural Resources were called to deal with the surprise houseguest.
»Photo of alligator courtesy of Montgomery County Police
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