Sheboygan Press Media

The alligator recently caught near the Sheboygan River has found a new home at the Chicago Herpetological Society.

Sheboygan police officers and sheriff's deputies responded to reports of an alligator sighting on the morning of Sunday, July 20. After capturing it, officials turned over the gator to Michael Clutter, a Department of Natural Resources conservation warden.

"I sent several emails to zoos and other animal rescues looking for a home for the alligator," Clutter said. "Staff at the Milwaukee County Zoo suggested I contact Small Scale Reptile Rescue and they offered to take the animal."

Small Scale Reptile Rescue is a Milwaukee-area organization that works with shelters and animal control agencies to assist in the rehabilitation and finding suitable homes for abandoned and seized reptiles. The organization sends alligators to alligator farms but will not allow the general public to receive them.

The organization transported the animal to the Chicago Herpetological Society Tuesday evening.

State law regulates the introduction, stocking and release of wild animals, and violators can face a forfeiture of $539.50 for the release of a wild animal.

The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the DNR at 1-800-TIP-WDNR.