Two adult brothers were charged with animal cruelty last week in Alaska after getting into a quarrel and tossing each other’s pet reptile from an apartment window into the snow.
According to the Anchorage Daily News, the pets were an 18-inch alligator and 24-inch crocodile. The alligator was rescued but the crocodile was not recovered and is presumed dead.
While some might consider the men’s actions an odd way to settle their differences, some might also wonder if it’s legal to own alligators and crocodiles in Alaska.
According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, it is legal to keep both species, just as it’s legal to keep snakes and lizards as pets.
However, releasing exotic pets into the wild, where they must try to fend for themselves, is illegal and could pose threats to native species. (Presumably, tossing an animal from a window and failing to retrieve it is a form of illegal release.)
Alligators and crocodiles prefer tropical climates and could not survive in the Alaska wilderness, especially during the winter.
Both men are in their early 30s and the incident occurred outside Wasilla.
