Goofy alligator tried hiding in livestock pen with donkeys, North Carolina cops say

An alligator tried pulling off a rather peculiar stunt in coastal North Carolina, when it crawled into a donkey pen and tried to blend in, according to the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office.

It happened in south Wilmington, where alligators are native and known to roam the murky Cape Fear River.

“Residents at 7700 Myrtle Grove Road called about an alligator getting in her livestock pen where her donkeys were,” the sheriff’s office said in a May 18 news release.

“The alligator positioned itself next to the barn in the flower bed and would not move. She said the alligator has been on her property for about five years in her two ponds but now is causing a threat to her other livestock.”

It’s not known if the alligator was sizing up the donkeys or simply exploring unfamiliar turf. It is the height of alligator mating season (May and June) in North Carolina, a time when males strike out into unfamiliar territory in search of females.

Either way, no donkeys were reported missing.

New Hanover County sent its Animal Services Unit to the home, and they “took the alligator into custody,” a task that included taping its mouth shut.

A photo shared on Facebook shows the alligator was about 5 feet long, which is smallish in a state where males can reach 13 feet and 500 pounds.

“The alligator was relocated safely into the wild,” the sheriff’s office said. The exact location was not revealed.

Hundreds have reacted and commented on the Facebook post, including some who believe they saw the same gator wandering a disc golf course in the area. Others noted the alligator wore a suspiciously satisfied expression.

“He looks so happy,” Sam Seamus posted on Facebook.

“He said — ‘You mean it’s not a buffet?’” Lee Sill wrote.

This story was originally published May 19, 2023 at 6:19 AM with the headline "Goofy alligator tried hiding in livestock pen with donkeys, North Carolina cops say."