BEAVERCREEK, Ohio — Officials in a city in southwest Ohio are asking residents to “exercise caution” after receiving a report that an alligator was seen in a small pond at a park.
A news release from Beavercreek officials says a police officer responded to Dominick Lofino Park at about noon on Sunday but did not see an alligator. No other sightings have been reported, the release says.
“We take these reports seriously and have reached out to wildlife agencies to assist with the investigation,” city officials say. “Although there is no immediate danger to the public, we ask residents to exercise caution around the pond as a precaution until further notice.”
Alligators are not native to Ohio, but there have been sightings in the past. In March 2023, two alligators were spotted in a river in western Ohio. One was killed but there were no reports of the other alligator being found. It’s unlikely an alligator could survive the winter in Ohio.
Wildlife officials say alligators seen in Ohio most likely are pets that were released by their owners.
Officials in Beavercreek, which is located in Greene County, say they are investigating the report with state wildlife officials.
The American alligator’s natural habitat is primarily in the southeastern U.S., but they’re also found as far north as North Carolina and west to the Rio Grande river in Texas, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Biology Institute. The average length for a female is 8.2 feet and for a male it’s 11.2 feet. Males can weigh up to 1,000 pounds.
