STAR-LEDGER (Newark, New Jersey) 28 August 07 Westfield says 'see ya later' to Gregory Gator (Alexi Friedman)
For the past month, Westfield's newest resident could be seen swimming in Gregory's Pond. He could also be seen snapping up meals of catfish and frogs, or spending hours on a grassy patch catching some rays.
Life was good for the 2 1/2-foot-long alligator. But in the end, it had overstayed its welcome and was evicted.
Yesterday, the Division of Fish and Wildlife, which captured the alligator over the weekend, was trying to find a suitable home out of state, said Darlene Yuhas, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Environmental Protection.
"We are exploring all our options," she said. As would be expected, alligators aren't native to New Jersey. When one is reported, she said, "it's typically because it belonged to someone and was released."
No one knows how this gator, believed to be a juvenile because of its size, got to Westfield, though it may have been dropped into nearby Brightwood Park, which connects to the much smaller Gregory's Pond through an underground water passage.
"I can't see it coming in from Florida," said a smiling Simon Rush, whose home is just steps from the pond.
Westfield is no stranger to wildlife, with deer, coyotes, foxes, turkey vultures and hawks all making their presence known at one time or another, residents said.
And there have been past alligator sightings in different parts of Westfield, but those have turned out to be mere snapping turtles, said Police Chief John Parizeau. This time around, it was the real thing.
At Gregory's Pond, ducks mingle easily with goldfish, turtles, catfish and bull frogs, all alongside lilies and shaded under trees.
The alligator had the run of the place.
Nancy Smith and her two children rode their bicycles to the pond yesterday afternoon, hoping to catch a glimpse. They were sorely disappointed to learn it had already been caught.
"I can't believe someone would just throw it away," she said, as her son, Brendan, 11, and daughter, MacKenzie, 7, rested their bikes on the ground to peer in at the water. "At first I didn't even believe it, an alligator in Westfield?"
The gator was discovered in late July by a Scotch Plains family who had come to the pond to fish, said Mary Harries, another neighbor. Police officers were called in and confirmed the animal was an alligator. A few weeks ago, officers from the Division of Fish and Wildlife responded, Parizeau said. The alligator scurried into the water as soon as the officers arrived, and the team was soon sent elsewhere after getting a call of a bear sighting. They didn't return until Saturday.
In the meantime, the gator's popularity -- and presumably its body -- grew, as motorists made their way to the pond to sneak a peak. Teenagers did too, some of whom threw pieces of chicken in its path to lure it out, Harries said. Though the gator was small -- they can reach lengths of more than 6 feet -- some residents grew concerned that the creature was living too large.
Still the people came.
Rachel Gross, 14, who was walking by the pond yesterday afternoon with her three friends, was there on Saturday morning to see the capture. "We thought it was cool," she said of the gator, "even though some people wouldn't bring their kids or dogs here."
Now the gator will most likely be headed for balmier climes, like along the Southeast, or the Gulf of Mexico. A sanctuary in the Carolinas was even mentioned.
Westfield says 'see ya later' to Gregory Gator