That Time An Alligator Was Found in the Grand Canyon

Don’t Release Your Pets Into the Wild 

The story of Clem the alligator is fascinating and also a warning about what can happen if you ditch your pets. A guy who owned land near the Grand Canyon with a warm spring decided to sell his land to the BLM. He asked them not to hurt the alligator. 

They dismissed what he was said as nonsense but when a contractor was working near the spring, a huge alligator came out of the brush towards him. What then followed was an epic tale of capturing the large alligator by a group out of Phoenix. You can see it in this YouTube video. 

The Southwest Is Not Alligator Habitat 

Clem was able to survive thanks to the warm springs. When they finally captured the alligator, he was super skinny and ornery. After weeks of trying, they were able to draw him out with a recording of a chirping baby gator. They loaded him up in a trailer to haul him out.

All of this activity caught the attention of local news stations and soon became a national story. Clem became a celebrity, and local zoos wanted him to join their exhibit. The people who captured him said no and he still lives in the Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary. 

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He has filled out to 550 lbs. and is still as angry as ever. He seems to have never learned any social cues. Clem has since gained a girlfriend and has become a father. His progeny now shares his story in other zoos and habitats.