KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Back in March, a young angler caught an alligator on Norris Lake.

Previous Coverage: Alligator caught on Norris Lake in Union County

In the days that followed, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s Matt Cameron said it was likely brought into the state illegally.

“Someone brought it from another state and turned it loose in Norris Lake,” Cameron said.

Previous Coverage: An alligator was caught on Norris Lake— what do Tennessee wildlife officers have to say?

Cameron also said it’s illegal to own or bring an alligator into Tennessee, calling it an invasive species. He said Tennessee isn’t a good place for alligators to be.

“East Tennessee is not a good alligator habitat,” Cameron said. “They like swampy areas, warmer climates. Here in Tennessee, the winters get extremely cold and they don’t prefer deep-water lakes.”

After the alligator was caught, it was taken to Little Ponderosa Zoo and Rescue in Anderson County.

Little Ponderosa said on social media that after hundreds of calls, the zoo’s assistant manager, Abby, spoke to Jungle Adventures in Christmas, Florida.

Despite being nearly 700 miles away, Abby drove the alligator, now known as “Tennessee,” all the way to Florida to give him a new home.

“He will now spend his days lounging in the sun, with lots of other alligators his same size/age,” the zoo said.

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