Updated, May 14
In a moment that will likely enter local wildlife lore, an Island resident stumbled upon the carcass of an American alligator lying in a coastal nature reserve in West Tisbury.
Massachusetts Environmental Police are investigating along with the West Tisbury Animal Control office. Local town officials have so far been mum as to any inquiries or investigations they have launched, but Islanders have not been shy raising theories of their own, why, and who brought the gator to the Vineyard: Maybe it was purchased from a butcher in the South that sells full alligators for its meat (the Cajun Grocer, an online website, sells a 24-pound gator for $499.99 without the skin, shipping not included); we heard from a mother in Aquinnah that said that her 12-year-old son swore that he saw an alligator the end of April while riding his bike on Black Brook Road. But there are others that point out that this could have been a cruel act that led to the alligators death. “I feel badly for the alligator, whose skin was probably removed to be tanned and/or sold,” former animal control officer in Edgartown, Catherine Buck, wrote to the Times.
The facts of the case are this: Dave Kelliher, a 40-year Island resident, said that on Saturday afternoon he was walking his dog, like he often does, at Sepiessa Point Reservation — a Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank property that juts into Great Pond. It was low tide, and he was walking over a bluff when he nearly tripped over what he described as an approximately 5-foot-long alligator.
Most of the gator’s skin was missing, though its head and legs were still attached. And while admittedly no reptile expert, Kelliher believes it only recently died, as the limbs were still flexible, and there was no stench. He believes it was a juvenile, and could have been left in a pond by Sepiessa.
The West Tisbury resident contacted the town’s animal control officer on Saturday evening, who he said picked the carcass up. Animal control officials haven’t been reached immediately by The Times, though Tisbury officials say that they have taken the alligator and stored it in a cooler in their town. The West Tisbury office is leading the response, and the department head has been off-Island. The town’s police department is not involved.
Officials with the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife confirmed, through photos shared by The Times, that the animal is an American alligator.
“When it comes to wildlife, this is the wildest thing I’ve seen on the Island,” Kelliher said. “I’ve seen deer swimming and some interesting things, but not this.”
Ironically, Kelliher said that he was recently vacationing with his wife in the Florida Everglades, a natural habitat for both crocodiles and alligators. The trip led to why he theorized that it was an alligator over a crocodile. Alligators and crocodiles are both members of the Crocodilia order, but alligators are typically found in fresh water and are dark-colored, with a broad, rounded snout, while crocodiles are greyish-green and prefer brackish water.
How the giant reptile got to West Tisbury is anyone’s guess at this point. On Monday, Kelliher theorized that it was probably a pet owner who no longer wanted or had the resources to raise an alligator, and left it at Sepiessa where it couldn’t survive. “I assume it’s a pet owner and the alligator got too big. But how many people on the Island have exotic pets?” he wondered.
As for why the skin was removed, one theory is that other wildlife, likely raccoons, feasted on the animal. There is an open question as to whether someone actually skinned the reptile, though if using the skin, the head and the alligator’s claws likely would have been taken as well. And those were still remaining when Kelliher came across it.
The West Tisbury resident also wondered whether climate change could have possibly played a role — would it ever be possible for that kind of animal to survive on the Island given the changing climate? In Florida, the reptiles burrow into mud during the colder temperatures. Would that be possible on the Island? Another theory that Kelliher tossed around since his discovery — and maybe a more hopeful scenario — is that a pet owner could have put the alligator into the pond, where it survived for a couple of years.
For naturalists on the Island, the pet theory is the most likely.
Matt Pelikan, community naturalist at BiodiversityWorks on the Island and MV Times columnist, said that alligators are extending their range further north, due to climate change and/or a growing population. But getting this far north is most likely out of the question.
“True, weird stuff happens, and I don’t generally use the word ‘impossible’ when talking about animal vagrancy,” he said. “But with a situation like this, a series of near-miracles would have to occur to get an alligator here on its own, while explanations such as the irresponsible release of a pet are very easy to imagine.”
State officials also have said that American alligators cannot live naturally in Massachusetts, as they require warmer temperatures. They have two possible scenarios: The gator may have been purposefully or accidentally released by someone illegally keeping a captive alligator. Massachusetts has strict laws that limit the types of animals that can be kept as pets. It is illegal to possess any crocodilian species in Massachusetts as a pet, including alligators, crocodiles, caimans, and gavials.
The mystery of the alligator is up there with the shark lore on the Island, as well as the stories that prehistoric rodents known as capybara — typically found in Costa Rica — were said to be roaming around the State Forest. The Vineyard Gazette also reported in the 1920s that there was a rumor of an alligator that took refuge in Chilmark Pond.
The state notes that the animal may have been hunted in another part of the country where alligators are found, and its body brought back to Massachusetts. Alligator hunting is legal in some Southern U.S. states. State officials said that based on the picture provided, it appears the animal was intentionally skinned so its hide could be used, before the body was disposed of.
Still, questions abound, and Islanders are hungry for answers.
“It’s such a curiosity, and I want my curiosity satisfied,” Kelliher told The Times.
Editor’s note: If you have any information on how the alligator may have gotten to West Tisbury, send us an email at sam.houghton@mvtimes.com or editor@mvtimes.com.
Oh, that Ron DiSantis is up to no good again.
I’m not a biologist, but I believe that is actually a goth otter.
Where is RFK jr.?
Do we have to bring up climate change again and again? The alligator was brought here as a baby by some kids and released later. Alligators are resilient and can survive in cold temperatures. I saw them in Connecticut in the 70’s. Maybe Trump is responsible.
Only when it changes.
Obviously this carcass was discarded by the person who skinned it.
When I was about 10, my father was really into tropical fish, and he had lots of fish tanks.My grandfather brought us a baby alligator from Florida. We kept it until it was about 3 ft long and escaped from its tank in the basement. My mother came upstairs from the basement one day while going to do laundry and said “Wally is loose in the basement” she picked up my 1 yr old brother and said ” John and I are going to my mother’s house and we won’t be back until Wally is gone.” What an adventure for a 12 yr old to go gator hunting.!! We found him under the oil tank, and after about 50 punctures on my father’s arm we took him to the Philadelphia zoo where I hope he lived a happy life. Just a story about a boy and his gator– that’s all. .
Enlightening indeed………..
Another victim of the windmills?
Oh no!
This wasn’t any boating accident…it wasn’t any coral reef and it wasn’t Jack the Ripper.
As someone who keeps reptiles, I find this whole thing very upsetting. I have strong feelings about neglect and abuse of captive exotics. They are far too often treated as unimportant and disposable, but if you choose to take an animal out of its natural habitat and keep it, you are responsible for its care, or rehoming. This was probably someone’s pet at some point. If a dead, skinned dog had been found in the woods, the conversation would be very different.
The ghost of Craig Kingsbury is somehow involved
Look for someone who has a new pair of ‘gator’ boots
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