Alligator left with minor injuries after hit by car in New Bern

NEW BERN, NC (WCTI) — A 10-foot-long alligator is recovering after it was hit by a car around 1 a.m. Wednesday in New Bern.

The alligator was in the middle of Village Road and Neuse Boulevard near the speedway and Walmart.

The driver involved in the collision declined an interview.

Meanwhile, people living in the area shared what they saw.

One neighbor, who chose not to appear on camera, said he heard the impact between the car and the alligator.

Bobby Bell, who lived in the area for 15 years, expressed his disbelief, “I see turtles and such as that but alligators – no.”

Bell said his wife woke him up from the flashing police lights, leading them to watch the alligator being loaded onto a truck for removal.

Wildlife biologist Chris Kent had been out spotting alligators for research in Pender County and was on his way back home in Craven County when he received the call about the alligator in the road.

“Once we showed up, myself and Wildlife Officer Andre Jones, we were able to get a snare around the animal, get it out of the road so we could open up traffic,” Kent said. “Just got the animal calmed down and then I had to run and get a transport tube large enough for the animal.”

Kent shed light on the behavior of alligators, highlighting that the reptile was likely searching for a mate, as April through June marks their mating season.

The alligator had some minor injuries, but is expected to be alright. Wildlife officers planned to relocate it.

Kent further explained the research he’d been doing in Pender County beforehand.

“We started doing nighttime alligator spotlight surveys roughly on 20 to 25 creeks and rivers along our coast 3 or 4 years ago,” Kent said. “What we’re hoping to do is in 10, 15, 20 years of data we can start to build an index of where we’re seeing alligators, what size classes we’re seeing them, to give us an index of what the population is doing. Is it increasing? Is it decreasing? Is it about the same as when we started doing these nighttime spotlight surveys?”

Kent emphasized the need for caution around these creatures, urging people not to approach or feed them, because the interactions are unsafe and illegal due to their federally protected status.

If a situation involving an alligator requires immediate action, such as if one becomes trapped in a swimming pool or wanders into a public road and refuses to move, only an authorized NC Wildlife Commission employee or licensed agent can remove it legally.

The NC Wildlife Helpline toll-free phone number is 866-318-2401.

To report instances of poaching, harming, harassing, or intentionally feeding alligators, call the Wildlife Commission’s Enforcement hotline at 1-800-662-7137.