No Urban Legend—An Alligator Was Spotted in the Kalamazoo River
Have you heard this news? I swear it sounds like it could be an urban legend, but it's not...
There have been multiple alligator sightings in Michigan's Kalamazoo River near Albion College.
Alligator Sightings in Michigan
Again, it totally sounds like an urban legend. Or at the very least, not a headline you'd expect to read about Michigan. But alas, here we are. In fact, this story is so odd that it's getting national attention, here it is featured on Yahoo.
Witnesses report this alligator to be approximately four to five feet long and swimming in the Kalamazoo River section "where it runs through the Nature Center" of Albion College. As a precaution, they actually closed down the nature center from Saturday, July 9th through Monday, July 11th.
As of writing this article (Thursday, July 14th), the alligator has not been captured. However, WILX spoke to Director Lina Kelly of Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary. Kelly said that the gator isn't likely to live past October because it's not adjusted to being in the wild in our harsher Michigan weather.
Is it Legal to Own an Alligator in Michigan?
How does an alligator turn up in Michigan? Well, you might be surprised to learn that it's totally legal to own an alligator as a pet in Michigan. It could be possible that a pet got loose or that someone had intentionally dumped it in the means to be rid of it.
In the meantime, while we wait for it to be captured by animal control, DO NOT FEED THE ALLIGATOR. Kelly says "the alligator is going to learn that you’re providing it food and he’s going to continue to follow you," which could prove to be dangerous. So if you see the gator, call animal control and they'll take care of things.
If you were surprised to learn that it's legal to own alligators in Michigan, check out what other animals are legal in the gallery below.