Baby alligator taken from Wildlife Center

Taylor Cooper

An American alligator was stolen from the Georgia Southern University Center for Wildlife Education on Thursday, Sept. 20 and has yet to be located.

According to an incident report that was released by the Office of Public Safety, an unidentified male, who attempted to sell a red boa constrictor to the museum, approached a staff member.

That same afternoon, one of two American alligators was taken from an aquarium.

“He was the only person in the area at the time of the theft,” Scott Courdin, curator of the Center for Wildlife Studies, said.

The alligator was last seen one hour before it was discovered missing, according to the report.

“It was a baby, barely a foot and four inches, a little older than a year,” Courdin said.

The individual that took the alligator was probably not a student, Courdin said.

“It probably wasn’t a student, but I have not been informed if the person we suspect has been charged with anything,” Courdin said.

The alligator’s disappearance won’t affect the center very much, but it will affect what people learn from it.

“A lot of our guests and visitors won’t be able to see two alligators interacting. We still have the one alligator, so the educational component is there,” Courdin said.

There are multiple reasons someone might have taken the animal.

“People might like them as a pet. Someone might sell them,” Courdin said.

Michael Russell, division head of the Office of Public Safety, said no one has been charged with the crime yet.