Overweight Temple Terrace gator named ‘Coca-Cola’ finds new home at reptile farm

A large, overweight wild alligator that was reportedly fed  by people has found a new home at a Tampa wildlife refuge.

Last week, a 450-pound, nine-foot-long gator was raising concerns from Temple Terrace residents after someone tore a hole in the retention pond fence where it lived. The gator, a male named “Coca-Cola” since it was found near the Coca-Cola plant on Fowler Avenue, was spotted being fed ham and chicken by people, which is not only illegal but incredibly dangerous.

Over the weekend, a wildlife trapper captured Coca-Cola and transported him to the nearby Croc Encounters Reptile Park and Alligator Farm.

“This alligator is extremely overweight and now accustomed to getting fed by people,” said Croc Encounters in a social media post. “Once people start feeding alligators they become a nuisance by no fault of their own and must be removed from the wild as they begin to approach people for food. Luckily this guy will have a new home at our facility.”

There are roughly 1.3 million alligators in the state of Florida, says the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and they can be found in all 67 counties.

According to FWC, Florida is quickly approaching alligator mating season, which typically runs from May to June, depending on temperatures. These means gators are often found on the move and looking for love.

Anyone concerned about an alligator, or if you fins one in a place it shouldn’t be, should call the FWC’s Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).

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This article appears in Mar 21-27, 2024.