It's been more than six weeks since the first sighting of the Lake Erie alligator. There have been no confirmed sightings since then.
To better understand the alligator's whereabouts, wildlife expert Jim Moulton, known by the name Mr. Jimoffers his expertise on alligators.
Moulton, of the Rochester, New York, area, has been featured at reptile expos and in its traveling wildlife shows. He has more than 25 years of experience handling animals ranging from armadillos to exotic birds to alligators.
Moulton believes this alligator was someone's pet that was left loose in the wild.
“It was definitely someone's pet and it was a stupid thing to do,” Moulton said. “It's not the first time people have put alligators in ponds or lakes. They get away, they're good escape artists.”
From his experience at wildlife shows, Moulton sees alligators sold as babies less than a foot long.
Once the animals grow into reptiles that are more than two metres long, they are difficult to domesticate as pets. Moulton says that is when they could probably be released into the wild.
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Following the right path
There are a variety of animal tracks visible on Presque Isle, and there is a chance that some may be alligator tracks.
Moulton said alligators have five toes on their front feet and four on their back feet. The last toe on the back foot does not have a claw because when they swim, alligators tuck their feet out to the side and use their tails to swim.
Moulton mentioned that alligators are also good diggers.
“In the south, where most of the sand is sand, alligators will dig a burrow in the side of the lake and they can go back in there and they have a chamber there,” Moulton said. “It can be pretty deep, but up here with the ground so hard, they can’t dig like that.”
Could an alligator survive that long in Lake Erie?
With fall officially arriving on Sunday, Moulton believes that because of the alligator's instincts and ability to catch fish, the animal has a good chance of surviving for a while.
“He's living a full life,” Moulton said. “There are plenty of fish in Lake Erie, so I'm sure he's getting all the food he needs.”
However, alligators don't always spend time in the water. They can be found sunbathing to warm up and become aggressive and active again.
The animal was first spotted at the foot of East Avenue near the pier, but Moulton believes it may be in Presque Isle.
“He would go to an area with a lot of grass and lily pads,” Moulton said. “He would look for a place to hide and not be exposed. He would look for something like a pond to get into, I think, something like Presque Isle, which has a lot of that type of area where he would like to live.”
No one in Presque Isle has confirmed any sightings or signs of the alligator.
Little chance of survival during the winter
Moulton doesn't think the alligator can survive the winter in Erie.
Moulton confirmed that alligators can hibernate, keeping their nostrils above the ice when the water freezes.
The challenges the reptile would face would be cold winter temperatures and food shortages.
If you meet the alligator
Moulton says alligators are shy creatures and will most likely run away if they come face to face with you.
If this alligator becomes aggressive, Moulton suggests bringing a long object like a fishing pole or boat oar and hitting it on the nose.
“They're very sensitive,” Moulton said. “I went to an alligator farm in Florida and we used to have to go down into the swamp and pick up trash. Every once in a while you'd come across a big alligator who'd think, 'Wow, here comes lunch.' We always had a broom with us and a 10-foot-tall alligator. If you tapped him on the nose if he was coming for you, he'd freeze, open his mouth and hiss at you, but he wouldn't go any further.”
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Lake Erie alligator timeline
Contact Nicholas Sorensen at nsorensen@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared in the Erie Times-News: Lake Erie alligator still on the loose. Wildlife expert shares his knowledge
