Suspect Busted Selling Baby Alligators In Orange County
GOSHEN, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Conservation officers caught someone trying to sell baby alligators in Orange County, the district attorney says.
The American alligators were being sold as "dwarf alligators," but they can grow up to 15 feet long and weigh up to 1,000 pounds.
Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler commended the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police for its work on the case Thursday.
"The sale of alligators is regulated in New York State because of the size and strength of these animals, as well as the fact that in the wild they would be considered an invasive species which could disrupt New York's natural species," Hoovler said in a statement.
He added American alligators have similar skin to the endangered black caiman, saying "the unregulated sale of American alligators could further endanger theses other species, since it takes an expert to distinguish between their skins after they are made into products."
People need a permit to sell or possess alligators in New York State.