A 9-foot, 6-inch American alligator pulled from Claremore Lake and euthanized by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation was put down near the same spot a baby alligator was seen swimming eight years ago.
According to a May 2014 article from The Claremore Progress, game warden Brek Henry said a 2-foot alligator was spotted in Dog Creek near where it flows into Claremore Lake.
Henry said at that time the alligator was probably dumped by someone who bought it on the black market and had second thoughts. Since it would be “nearly impossible” to catch the alligator and since it wasn’t a threat to humans at that size, Henry said ODWC wouldn’t remove the alligator.
Now, an alligator has been euthanized near the same location. ODWC spokesman Micah Holmes said an alligator was euthanized by firearm near the Dog Creek area after complaints started a week ago.
Holmes said those complaints came from people who were concerned and wanted ODWC to know about the alligator’s presence because "it hadn’t been seen there before.”
He said the department doesn’t know where the alligator came from, but encourages anyone with information to contact ODWC.
“In a situation like this, where we don’t know how it showed up there, what we need is help from the public. We would be eager to hear any information that anybody might have,” said Holmes.
