An angler fishing near Norris Lake Monday got the catch of his lifetime when he reeled in a nearly 4-foot-long alligator.
Union County Wildlife Officer Rick Roberts received a call at 5 p.m. Monday about the alligator in Dotson Creek, in the area called Butcher Hollow above Highway 33, said Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency spokesperson Matthew Cameron.
"He thought the guy was joking," Cameron said.
The angler had the alligator pinned to the ground when Roberts arrived, holding the alligator behind its head, Cameron said. The angler told Roberts that he caught it on swim bait.
At first, Roberts was unsure if the animal was a cayman, which are legal to possess in Tennessee. But after researching it, he determined it was an alligator. The 3- to 4-foot-long reptile was taken to the Little Ponderosa Zoo, a nonprofit zoo and rescue facility outside Clinton.
According to Cameron, the rescue facility will hold the animal temporarily, until a permanent home can be found.
Authorities suspect the alligator was a former pet that had been released into the wild. Cameron estimated it was 3 to 4 years old, given its size; alligators grow about a foot a year, he said.
"We're not sure how it got there," Cameron said, speculating it might have been a Spring Break impulse capture that was quickly regretted. "It did not get there on its own."
While alligators are naturally expanding their range into Tennessee from the southern border states, they are not likely to be found in East Tennessee.
"This is not good alligator habitat," Cameron said. "They love swampy land and warm water ... The winters here get extremely cold ... and they don't prefer deep, clear water. I suppose it could survive here, but it would not be a great habitat for an alligator to thrive in."
Alligators are opportunistic feeders that prey on fish, turtles, snakes, frogs and waterfowl, TWRA said. Occasionally they will feed on larger animals such as possums, raccoons and deer.
Alligators can survive Tennessee winters by going into a hibernation-like dormancy called brumation, Cameron noted. They can withstand periods of ice by sticking their snout out of the water before it freezes, which allows them to continue breathing.
Alligators are a protected species and catching or shooting one is a violation of the law, TWRA warned. Alligators are considered a Class 1 wildlife species, which are considered inherently dangerous to people. These animals can only legally be possessed by permitted exhibitors or commercial propagators in Tennessee. People also need a permit to obtain Class 2 animals.
Liz Kellar is a Tennessee Connect reporter. Email liz.kellar@knoxnews.com.
Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe. 

source