Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife officials are searching for an alligator allegedly spotted in Ballard County.
Spokesman Kevin Kelley said the department recently received a photo of what they believe to be a small alligator or caiman in a wetland area. He said the sender told them it was spotted near a private farm in west Kentucky.
Kelley said it’s rare to see alligators in the area and sais based on past situations; it probably didn’t migrate from the south. “Usually what happens is that people want to make pets out of these animals but they eventually turn them loose because maybe they’ve outgrown the bathtub in the house, or maybe because they realized you can’t keep alligators as pets in Kentucky,” he said.
Kelley said officials are monitoring the area and are in contact with the sender to check accuracy. He said the department is considering options if the alligator is caught, adding that it could be sent to a reptile zoo.
