DETROIT — A small alligator spotted sunbathing on the rocky shoreline of Belle Isle Park — just across the river from Windsor, Ont. — has been safely captured and rehomed at a Michigan animal sanctuary after surprising a local paddleboarder late last month.
On September 28, Hamtramck resident Lynn Blasey was paddleboarding along the Detroit River when she made the startling discovery. Belle Isle Park sits in the middle of the river separating Detroit, Michigan, from Windsor, Ontario.
“There is a freaking crocodile or alligator over here,” Blasey exclaimed in a video she recorded, later telling CTV News she did a “triple, quadruple take” before alerting the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Her geotagged photos helped officials confirm the sighting.
The DNR, which typically issues guidance on dealing with local wildlife like beavers, foxes and geese—not alligators—reminded visitors not to approach wild animals and warned against releasing pets into state parks. “All wildlife can be dangerous and unpredictable,” said spokesperson Rachel Lincoln. “Releasing wild animals or pets into state parks is prohibited and harmful — to the animal, the ecosystem and public safety.”
Two Detroit men, Troy Keteyian and Stephen Hart, took it upon themselves to track the reptile down after the story went viral. On October 1, they successfully captured the alligator. Although it appeared large in photos, the creature — later named Fafnir by her rescuers — was only about 18 inches long.
Fafnir has since been placed in the care of the Great Lakes Serpentarium. Co-owner Michael Wilson believes the alligator was someone’s pet that had been released. “No question in my mind this was someone’s pet that was released improperly and immorally onto that land,” he said.
Michigan is far outside the natural habitat of alligators, and keeping certain exotic animals as pets is illegal. Releasing them into the wild poses ecological and public safety risks, according to the DNR.
This isn’t the first unusual reptile sighting in the region. Last summer, swimmers in Lake Erie, Pennsylvania, recorded video of what appeared to be an alligator or caiman, quickly dubbed the “Lake Erie alligator.” It was never found. Experts say while alligators can withstand short periods of freezing temperatures, Canada’s long winters make survival highly unlikely.
Toronto Zoo lead keeper Rick Vos previously explained that alligators would typically burrow into dens to hibernate, but extended exposure to cold would be fatal. “The extended winters we experience at our latitude may be a little too long, which would explain why they haven’t expanded their range this far yet,” he said.
For now, Fafnir has a warm, safe home at the sanctuary — a far cry from the chilly waters of the Detroit River.