MAYNARDVILLE, Tennessee (AP) – A fisherman at a lake in northeast Tennessee caught a surprise at the end of his line when he pulled up a 3- to 4-foot long alligator.<\/p>\n
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said their Union County wildlife officer Rick Roberts got a call from the angler on Monday describing the unusual catch at Norris Lake.<\/p>\n
When Roberts arrived, the angler had pinned the alligator to the ground behind its head and told Roberts he caught it on a swim bait.<\/p>\n
Alligators are not native to that part of Tennessee and are considered Class 1 wildlife species, which are those that are inherently dangerous to humans and may only be possessed by permitted exhibitors or commercial propagators.<\/p>\n
Matthew Cameron, regional communications coordinator for TWRA, said the alligator was taken to Little Ponderosa Zoo and Rescue, an exotic animal rescue facility in Clinton, Tennessee.<\/p>\n
“While the origin of the alligator is unclear, it is evident that it was being illegally held in captivity and possibly released into Norris Lake,” Cameron said in an email.<\/p>\n
Cameron said the zoo doesn’t normally house alligators, so the operators are looking for a permanent home for the alligator.<\/p>\n