Lanier gator released into the wild

The three pound alligator that sparked public interest throughout the summer after it was spotted July 17 in Lake Lanier by an Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper was caught Sept. 4, said state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officials.

Jennifer Barnes, a spokeswoman for DNR, said the little alligator was caught by a biologist after a homeowner called to say there was a gator on his lawn.

"It was found 250 yards from the Flat Creek area where it was first spotted," she said.

Barnes said the biologist pinned the little gator down, taped its mouth shut and herded it into a cage. It was subsequently taken to the DNR's Thompson office and released into the wild.

DNR officials believe the gator was a pet that got too big for its owner and was set free in Lanier. It likely would not have survived the winter, DNR staff said in earlier interviews.

"Anywhere south of the fall line is going to be a more suitable habitat," said Barnes.
- www.northfulton.com

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