Four Alligators Snapped Up From Peconic River Friday

Four alligators were fished out of the Peconic River on Friday after a man drinking his morning coffee spotted one floating by, officials said.

According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Environmental Conservation Lieutenant Dallas Bengel and Officer Mark Simmons captured four juvenile alligators from the Peconic River on the border of Brookhaven and Riverhead Friday after receiving a tip on the DEC's hot line. 

The gators were found just one week before Long Island’s first illegal reptile and amphibian amnesty day. 

“Alligators released into Long Island waters have become an all too common occurrence in recent years,” DEC Regional Director Peter A. Scully said. “Unfortunately, individuals who attain these animals often find themselves incapable of caring for them as they grow, and they ultimately release them into the waters of Long Island where they are unable to survive and may pose a risk to recreationalists."

Scully said he hoped individuals would take advantage of the upcoming illegal reptile and amphibian amnesty day so such occurrences decreased moving forward.
 
According to the DEC, on Friday at 8 a.m., Frank Naase was following his usual routine, drinking a morning coffee and stopping by the DEC’s Connecticut Ave. canoe launch, which overlooks the Peconic River, when he noticed an unusual animal floating by.

Naase contacted the DEC's environmental conservation officer dispatch to report the reptiles.

Lt. Bengel and ECO Simmons responded to the call, and, after snagging an approximately two-foot alligator with a catch pole, they observed three more alligators in the water. 

The officers secured each of the animals with tape around their jaws. 

The gators, whose sizes ranged from two to three feet, were lethargic due to the cold water they'd been found in. 

They were transferred to the DEC’s regional headquarters in Stony Brook and will be sent to the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead. 

The DEC reminded that alligators are illegal to own as pets in the state of New York, and individuals wishing to use them for exhibition, research or educational purposes are required to obtain a DEC permit. 

To prevent against future incidents, the DEC has partnered with the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to allow for a one-time only amnesty program, where individuals can anonymously bring their illegal or unpermitted reptiles and amphibians without fear of prosecution. 

Species that do not require permits, or are not threatened or endangered, will not be accepted. 

The program will take place at Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown, NY on Saturday, April 27 from noon - 4 p.m. 

For more information about the amnesty program, contact: Suffolk County SPCA (631) 382-7722, the DEC, (631) 444-0250 or the USFWS, (516) 825-3950.