After Days on the Loose, Gator Shot, Killed in Peconic River

An alligator that was on the loose in Calverton last week was shot and killed by an environmental conservation officer on Sunday, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation.

The gator – which officials said last week was about three to four feet long – was first spotted over a week ago near the Connecticut Avenue boat launch. It was finally spotted by DEC officers mid-week, and was able to avoid capture for several days.

Bill Fonda, spokesman for the DEC, noted that the gator was spotted by an environmental conservation officer Sunday afternoon after officers had used baited hooks, nets and catch poles in attempts to bring it in safely. Though in the interest of public safety, he said, the gator ultimately had to be shot.

Fonda added that tranquilizer guns were not an option, as they don't work on cold-blooded animals.

"All our other previous attempts were futile," he said. "As a last resort, they had to euthanize it."

The gator was shot about 25 yards from the Connecticut Avenue boat ramp where it had previously been reported. It was the second incident in the past two months involving a dangerous reptile on the loose: four alligators were captured in April in Calverton.

The animal was likely a pet which had grown too large to live domestically, and was dumped by its former owner, officials believe.