Alligators are 'Invading' This Pennsylvania Town for the Past Several Months

Alligators have been invading a Pennsylvania town for the past several months, according to local reports. The town is typically alligator-free since the area and Pennsylvania itself have a relative climate that is not very friendly to gators, unlike Florida.

As the 2023 US winter season draws near, residents are reportedly hoping that the remaining reptiles on the loose in the town are caught even before the looming cold autumn.

Pennsylvania Alligator Invasion

Alligators are common in Florida where one might encounter them on near daily basis, especially in areas near swamps and lakes. However, the presence of gators is not common in the northern and colder parts of the US, including in states like Pennsylvania.

In a report last week, the Pennsylvania alligator invasion has been occurring in Kiskiminetas Township, located in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. The town has a population of approximately 4,600 based on a 2020 census. Yet, there has been no definitive recorded alligator population in the local area not until this year.

Since the start of the summer season in June, there have been three invading alligators in Kiskiminetas, a phenomenon deemed by many as bizarre and even unusual in the mid-Atlantic region.

Based on the report, the appearance of the gators remains a mystery. Yet, one of the three reptiles was believed to have escaped from its owner. The two-foot alligator was able to head into the Kiskiminetas River after a transfer transaction between its owner and a recipient went wrong.

Proposed Pet Alligator Ban

Although there are several states that ban the ownership of alligators, Pennsylvania allows it.

Due to the incidents in recent months, with two alligators still on the loose in the Pennsylvania town, community members in Kiski Township held a heated public meeting on September 13. During the gathering, the locals discussed the proposed pet alligator ban in the town.

While the proposed ordinance was reportedly not meant to be voted or implemented, township supervisors maintained it was supposed to serve as a guideline of ideas. If approved, the ordinance prohibits any residents to make alligators as pets.

Are There Alligators in Pennsylvania?

As mentioned earlier, Pennsylvania has a non-friendly climate for alligators. However, it does not mean alligators cannot survive in the state. According to the conservation organization American Oceans, the Pennsylvania climate is not ideal as an alligator habitat and there have been no known established local gator population in the state.

There are several species of alligators, including the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), which typically live in the southeastern US.

Sometimes referred to as the common alligator or gator for short, American alligators are most prevalent in the states of Louisiana and Florida. According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, there are over 1 million wild alligators in each state, where they can be found in ponds, canals, rivers, swamps, lakes, and bayous.

In recent years, the large alligator population in Florida has resulted in multiple encounters, including fatal attacks on humans.