American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) are iconic animals, growing over 12 feet long and weighing up to 1,000 pounds. Although they are native to the southeastern United States, a few have wandered into some rather unusual locations. Take a look at the weirdest places alligators have been found in America!
18. Golf Courses
Habitat loss is a common problem for alligators in the U.S.
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Today, numerous alligators live at golf courses across the southeastern United States, often because they don’t have another option due to urbanization. To survive, many of these gators change their diets because their typical foods are hard to find. However, their new menu may not give them the nutrients they need.
17. Pools and Hot Tubs
Although Alligators typically prefer swamps and marshes, it turns out that pools and hot tubs are acceptable too!
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In May 2022, a nearly 11-foot-long, 550-pound alligator took a dip in a backyard pool in Charlotte County. In 2021, a feisty baby alligator named “Emma” was found swimming in a backyard hot tub in Texas. Alligators sometimes even show up in states where they don’t typically live. In 2019, Joe Baron and his family discovered a baby alligator swimming around in their backyard pool in New York!
16. A Park in New York City
Alligators can’t live in the wild in New York.
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New York gets far too cold for alligators, but on February 19, 2023, rescuers pulled a 4-foot-long female alligator out of one of the lakes in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park! Nicknamed “Godzilla”, the gator weighed just 15 pounds because she had a 4-inch wide bathtub stopper stuck in her stomach, which prevented her from eating.
15. Humboldt Park in Chicago
When pet alligators get too big, owners often panic and abandon them.
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In 2019, a 5-foot-long alligator in Chicago’s Humboldt Park Lagoon evaded capture for an entire week! Eventually, however, trapping agent Frank Robb of Florida successfully secured the gator and transferred it to a sanctuary. Since alligators aren’t native to Chicago, this one was likely an abandoned pet.
14. A Home Attic
During mating season, alligators wander and are more commonly seen.
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While completing a routine home inspection in Echo Farms, NC, Dean Brown thought he saw a giant stuffed animal in the attic. However, when he got closer — within 2 feet of the mysterious object — and turned his flashlight on it, the eyes of an 8-foot-long alligator snapped open! Brown escaped without injury and the alligator was relocated.
13. Knocking at the Front Door
Alligators help to maintain ecological diversity in wetlands habitats.
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In 2016 the owner of a mobile home in Plant City, FL, heard knocking at his front door. However, it wasn’t one of his neighbors — it was a 9.5-foot alligator trying to climb his front stairs! Fortunately, a deputy and a licensed trapper arrived at the scene and secured the gator without injury.
12. Baseball Dugouts
Alligators are cold-blooded reptiles.
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Some of the weirdest places alligators have been found in America are baseball fields! When the Charlotte Stone Crabs arrived for their minor league game in July 2015 in Port Charlotte, FL, they quickly discovered a 10-foot alligator under the dugout. Later in 2023, a baby alligator was found relaxing in the softball dugout at Fort Meade Middle/Senior High School.
11. A Living Room in Louisiana
Male alligators live alone but often fight one another during mating season.
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In April 2016, David Bradford stopped by his son’s house in Sterlington, LA. He didn’t expect to find anyone there, as the house was under construction. However, much to Bradford’s surprise, there was a large alligator in the living room! The gator was not very happy about leaving, as he was likely hiding out after being chased out by a larger bull alligator during mating season.
10. A Bus Stop in Connecticut
Although they are impressive animals, alligators do not make good pets.
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In 2012, a 2- to 3-foot alligator took a stroll around Enfield, CT — hundreds of miles from its natural habitat! Animal control officers eventually captured it at a local bus stop. The gator wore a leash and a collar, but the owner never came forward. Owning alligators in Connecticut is illegal, but fortunately, this one found a new home at an education facility called Rainforest Reptiles.
9. A Backyard Koi Pond in Brookeville
The alligator in Brookeville ate hundreds of dollars worth of koi.
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In September 2015, Ryan Alavi was shocked to discover an unexpected visitor lounging in his backyard koi pond in Maryland. The 3-foot-long alligator was basking and enjoying his new all-you-can-eat pool. Eventually, authorities captured the gator and took it to the Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo.
8. Lake Michigan
The alligator Castaneda found was weak and wouldn’t have survived without intervention.
©Galerynyna/Shutterstock.com
David Castaneda was fishing from his kayak near Waukegan Harbor in October 2018 when he spotted what he thought was a toy. However, as he paddled closer, he realized it was a 4-foot alligator with its mouth taped shut. Animal control officers helped Castaneda rescue the gator and took it to the Wildlife Discovery Center to recover.
7. A Grocery Story in Pennsylvania
Owning an alligator is illegal in most states, while in others it requires a permit.
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In 2014, a woman in Carlisle, PA, was shocked to learn that her pet alligator was wandering around the grocery store! Her son had placed the pet alligator in her purse before she left the house and it had somehow escaped while she was shopping.
6. An Airport Escalator
Baby alligators are sold as pets, both legally and illegally.
©Marc Pletcher/Shutterstock.com
In 2013, the security team at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport discovered an 18-inch alligator napping under one of the escalators. After digging into surveillance videos and social media, they discovered Alexis Prokopchuk had abandoned it at the airport terminal. The malnourished gator went to a rehabilitator to recover.
5. A Junior High School in Michigan
Alligators can live for several decades.
©Heather Schor/Shutterstock.com
The students at Bedford Junior High School in Temperance, MI, weren’t the only ones headed back to school in September 2019. A 3-foot-long alligator also showed up in a pond behind the school! Likely an abandoned or escaped pet (as alligators are not native to Michigan), the gator was relocated to a new home at the Indian Creek Zoo in Lambertville.
4. A German Airport
Albino alligators are extremely rare.
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In 2022, an American businessman was traveling from Germany to Singapore — with a live, 3-foot-long albino alligator in his suitcase! Fortunately, security X-rays at the Munich Airport spotted the reptile hidden inside the man’s suitcase, wrapped in plastic with only a small hole for breathing. The alligator was in poor condition but was quickly taken to a sanctuary to recover.
3. The Runway at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
Alligators love NASA’s asphalt runway because it warms up quickly from the sun.
©David McManus/Shutterstock.com
NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida shares its home with a large wildlife refuge. The animals here aren’t shy, and alligators commonly block doorways, napp under cars, and even scale fences. However, their favorite thing is napping on the 3-mile, asphalt runway.
2. A Gender Reveal Party
The Wright’s alligator joined their family in 2005.
©Rod Zadeh/Shutterstock.com
Imagine walking through the park on a sunny afternoon and you see a crowd celebrating a gender reveal party. The happy couple holds up a balloon — and a giant 13-foot alligator pops it! In 2019, Stacie Childs-Wright and Chad Wright brought their pet alligator, Amos, to their party to help reveal the gender of their new baby.
1. As An Emotional Support Animal
Henney’s doctor suggested making Wally an emotional support animal.
©Crystal Short/Shutterstock.com
The weirdest place alligators have been found in America is walking on a leash as an emotional support animal! Yes, you read that right: Joseph Henney of Pennsylvania has an official emotional support gator named Wally. Wally isn’t a normal alligator — he gives hugs, plays hide and seek, and goes for walks around the neighborhood.
The photo featured at the top of this post is © David McManus/Shutterstock.com
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