CAMBRIDGE, MASS. (WHDH) - It was a reptilian reunion Tuesday between the small alligator rescued from the Charles River in Boston two weeks ago and the man who initially spotted him.
Trevor Rochelle said he was walking along the Esplanade when he saw the animal, and he and his girlfriend immediately called animal agencies and posted online to get help.
“We started just trying to get the word out, get someone out there that could help him out,” said Rochelle.
Joe Kenney, a wildlife educator licensed to care for alligators, responded to the call and rescued the alligator from the water. Kenney believes the alligator, now named Charles, was a dumped pet. When he found him, he said he was suffering from a respiratory issue likely caused by the cold.
“People end up with them and they don’t know what to do with them,” said Kenney. “Don’t dump them out in the wild. They’re not going to survive and it’s just cruel. Especially in Boston, definitely not an area for an alligator to be living.”
Charles is now recovering under Kenney’s care.
Rochelle said he’s grateful to see the little reptile healthy, with a bright future ahead.
“We can get him living out a good alligator life,” said Kenney.
“We saved the little guy. We got him into the right hands and it’s just gonna be a memory that I’ll have with me forever,” said Rochelle.
Kenney said Charles cannot go back out into the wild because he’s used to people now, so he’ll be staying with him to help him with his educational programs for about a year before he’s moved to a facility in a warmer climate.
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