There's An Alligator In Detroit

After spending enough time watching sovereign citizens crash out during traffic stops on YouTube like I have, you start to realize Michigan is the Florida of the midwest. Think about it; Michigan is a swamp-based peninsula with two decent cities and a lot of room for weirdos who think "driving" and "traveling" are legally distinct. Now that reputation is solidified further with the credible appearance of a whole-ass alligator in Detroit's Belle Isle state park. 

Now, I'm not talking about a sick pair of alligator shoes, which regularly make their appearance on the most fashionable feet of Detroit's men, but an honest to god, scaly reptile usually found in the swamps and golf courses of the American southeast in states like North Carolina, Louisiana and Florida. A resident of Hamtramck managed to snap a few shots of the snapper, and Michigan's Department of Natural Resources confirms the gator seems legit. From the Detroit Free Press:

Staff at Belle Isle Park responded to a possible alligator sighting on Friday, Sept. 26, according to the DNR. Park staff have yet to see the alligator themselves, but they did review a civilian photograph and used geolocation data to determine that the report is "credible and consistent."

A photo of the alligator circulating on social media has drawn thousands of interactions, with some users estimating the reptile to be two or three feet long.

Detroiters, being level headed sorts who never jump to wild conclusions, have also reported a boa constrictor on the island, which makes Belle Isle sound less like a well-manicured urban destination designed by the same guy who did Central Park in New York and more like a jungle island with a view of Canada. These reports, snake-adverse Detroiters will be happy to learn, are unfounded. Our car heads might remember when the Detroit Grand Prix was held on Belle Isle which should be your first clue that it ain't exactly a jungle wilderness. Belle Isle features a golf course, a nature center, and the only public beach in the city. Really, it's a small slice of the island that remains swampy enough to serve as an alligator's habitat. 

The DNR is reminding residents not to approach any wild animals, but especially one with teeth and the ability to take your fingers off. It seems like a smaller alligator, likely an exotic pet that became too big for its irresponsible owners to handle. Dumping critters like this is not a good idea as it is very illegal, bad for the environment and, most of all, bad for the critter. 

The DNR are trying to figure out how to capture the reptile, but I think the state (which manages the park) should let this whole thing play out. Belle Isle already has a well known beaver overpopulation problem and this seems like a more-or-less natural way of evening things out. With how warm our winters have been, we might even keep the Belle Isle scaly beauty year round. A rare win for climate change, I guess.