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Glendale police received reports of a possible alligator in an artificial lake on Monday (August 29th). 12 News reported that police are investigating calls about someone who was seen allegedly putting an alligator into Arrowhead Lake.
But some wildlife officials aren't buying it. Russ Johnson, president of the Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary, told 12 News, "I think it's a total crock." And yes, the pun was totally intended.
He said, "Time and time again it ends up being a red ear slider or a soft-shelled turtle. One time it was a beaver."
A woman said that she saw someone dumping a 10-gallon tank into the lake. When she asked what was being dumped in, "They turned around and said it was an alligator."
Johnson thinks that person was just being sarcastic and that the woman who reported it never saw what was inside.
Due to the size of the tank, Johnson said that even if there were an alligator being dumped, it would only be about 10 inches long. And with its size, it wouldn't survive long in the lake with the other fish. Johnson said, "This guy doesn't have a prayer."
Johnson said there won't be any future investigations about the gator, saving resources since the creature may have never been in the lake to begin with.
Johnson says, "Until someone sends me a picture of an alligator I'm not believing this stuff for anything."