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Alligator Found On Long Island, Total Found In October Climbs To Six

NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) -- Another alligator has been found on Long Island. The latest gator was found in Lilly Pond Park in Ronkonkoma.

Experts told WCBS 880 reporter Jim Smith that the reptile was an American alligator.

"It's an American alligator. It's just under three feet. It is a male," said Suffolk County SPCA chief Roy Gross.

Gross did not call the recent surge in alligator findings on Long Island an epidemic, but he did say that every alligator found was of the same breed and a similar age.

Experts suspect that the alligators have come from different owners.

WCBS 880 Reporter Jim Smith reports...

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"Anybody that would do something like that with an illegal reptile is facing jail time," he said.

Anybody who turns in an illegal reptile will receive a maximum fine of $250, but publicly releasing one could lead to a year in jail.

Gross said that for anybody who wants to get an up close look at one of these reptiles the zoo is a better option.

"They do not make good pets. If you want to see an alligator, you want to see the snakes, go to a zoo," he said.

Authorities are continuing to check for a connection between the six alligators that have been found in October.

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