COCOA, Fla. – An alligator was removed from Fay Lake Wilderness Park in Cocoa after three juveniles hooked a noose around its neck and dragged it to shore Thursday evening.
Florida Wildlife Commission and Brevard County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident at approximately 5:30 p.m., said wildlife commission spokesperson Chad Weber.
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The three juveniles were on vacation from California, Weber said. The oldest, 16, was issued a citation for feeding, enticing or molesting alligators and educated on alligator safety in Florida, Weber said.
The other children were about 6 and 8 years old and were not given any citations.
“They weren’t familiar with the laws in the state of Florida,” Weber said.
The alligator returned to the water with the rope still around its neck when wildlife commission and the sheriff’s office arrived.
Wildlife commission called an alligator trapper to remove the rope from the alligator’s neck, Weber said.
Once the trapper arrived, the alligator was captured and the rope was removed. The trapper picked up the alligator for public safety.
Weber said in situations like this where humans harass an alligator and the animal becomes agitated and a potential threat, it’s standard for it to be relocated or, if necessary, euthanized. He did not know whether this particular alligator was relocated or euthanized.