BRANDON, Fla. (WFLA) — An alligator that’s been living in the Lumsden Reserve neighborhood with its mouth taped shut since December has finally been captured and relocated.
The alligator was officially captured on Thursday after previous attempts to extract her from the area failed.
“We are pleased the alligator was safely relocated,” said SW Regional Commander Major Rob Rowe “Our priority is public safety and the FWC administers the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program to proactively address alligator incidents in developed areas, while conserving them in areas where they naturally occur.”
Before the animal was captured, neighborhood resident Amber Lock shared photos of the alligator with 8 On Your Side. She called the action “inhumane.”
It was previously reported that Lock believed the animal’s mouth was taped shut when a trapper attempted to remove the alligator in December, but it’s unclear why the animal was left there.
An agency spokeswoman explained the delay was due to “confusion caused by two different permit requests made to two different trappers by members of the public.”
She said a trapper went to the location on Feb. 11 and saw the gator, but it disappeared from view anytime anyone came close to the water.
A new permit was issued on Feb. 12. The spokeswoman said they were sending a contracted nuisance alligator trapper to the location to remove it from the area.
The female alligator was measured at almost 6-feet long and is being taken to Gatorama Inc. in Palmdale, Florida, according to the contracted FWC trapper.
People with concerns about an alligator should call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), and a contracted nuisance alligator trapper will be dispatched to resolve the situation.