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Catching up with the Bedford Alligator: How the chaos-causing reptile is adjusting to zoo life

One alligator caused quite some disarray after showing up at a Bedford Schools' pond and refusing to leave.

LAMBERTVILLE, Mich. — The Bedford Alligator's new home is at the Indian Creek Zoo. Hundreds of people came out to the zoo during the alligator's first weekend there just to see it. 

The zoo has officially named the 3-year-old male alligator Renegade.

Julie Angell, a manager at the Zoo said he is feisty and typically does not like to be bothered. However, according to Angell, he does have his own space at the zoo and is growing more comfortable.

"He now has an enclosure inside the giraffe barn which is heated; heated floors. He has a half area that pond and the other half is a dry area for him. So he'll be here throughout the winter and then we'll have an enclosure for him in the spring where he'll be able to come back outside once it's warmer," Angell said.  

Since Renegade is a male, zoo officials said he has the potential to grow to about 12-feet-long. He is currently 3-feet-long.

Zoo workers said they have an idea of how he ended up at the Bedford School's pond.

"We believe or can only assume it was probably somebody's pet. Probably outgrew the aquarium or whatever enclosure they had him in and he found his way back to a little pond," Angell said.

She said having alligators as pets in this area is more common than we think and they can be bought at local pet stores.

Eventually, Renegade will move into the enclosure with the other three alligators but he still needs to grow to their size, which is about 6-feet-long.

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