South Milwaukee Police found an alligator on Lake Michigan Beach on Monday, according to a Facebook post from the department.
Police responded to a report of an alligator on the beach in Grant Park, the post reads. An officer “was able to locate and safely take the gator into custody.”
“So the citizen called … so we sent a couple of officers to go down there and lo and behold, it’s about two feet long,” South Milwaukee Lt. Todd Vinoradsky told WISN12. Vinoradsky said he believes it may have been there for a day.
The reptile was found between the main beach and the yacht club, per the outlet. (RELATED: Massive 10-Foot Florida Alligator Causes Chaos During Casual Walk Across Highway)
The Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission (MADACC) has retrieved at least four alligators in 2023, WISN12 reported.
“My guess is someone had to move, and they couldn’t take it with and they dumped it,” MADACC community engagement coordinator Kate Hartland told the outlet.
“You know, it’s cruel,” Vinoradsky said. “This thing, there’s no way it would have survived more than a week given the Wisconsin winters we got coming.”
Police said the alligator is at MADACC. By law, stray animals are kept at the animal control for a minimum of five days, according to the commission’s website.
On Aug. 26, four Mississippi hunters caught the longest alligator recorded in the state, according to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. The alligator measured over 14 feet long and weighed over 800 pounds.
A group of hunters in Alabama caught a massive alligator roughly a week before on Aug. 13. The beast was almost 13 feet long and weighed in at 524 pounds, according to the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division.