Monkey Junction family finds gator in their garage

One local family got quite a surprise when they looked in their garage Thursday morning. Our crew arrived just as a wildlife removal service was putting an alligator in a bag.

The owner of the Monkey Junction home found the gator curled up outside their garage door. It was quickly corralled and placed in the back of a pick-up truck.

Wildlife expert Jimmy English said it is not unusual for an alligator to get disoriented, and wander into a residential area. “They probably come up one of the creeks, get up on land and go hunting for a pond to get in. And when he gets out in the yard and the fences and places he gets disoriented, gets tangled up and doesn’t know how to get back to the water, and he just gets addled.”

The four foot alligator was taken to the edge of the Cape Fear River, away from any residential area to be released.

A reminder from Jimmy: It’s never a good idea to try and move a dangerous animal by yourself. Always leave it to a professional.