Toronto Animal Services has found a new home for a caiman, an alligator-like reptile, after the caiman was illegally kept in a residence in Toronto.
“It’s not every day we get a call for a caiman!” the Toronto Animal Services said in an Instagram post on Thursday.
The species, known as the spectacled caiman, is a reptile that belongs to the same family as alligators, though animal services noted they are “usually much smaller in comparison.”
The caiman was brought to a reptile sanctuary in Peterborough called the Indian River Reptile Zoo. The sanctuary was established in 1998 and provides visitors with the opportunity to view over 200 reptiles in climate-controlled conditions.
The Indian River Reptile Zoo rescues and cares for hundreds of reptiles, whether they are surrendered by owners or abandoned in cages at their doorstep.
The non-profit’s director Bry Loyst says the caiman’s previous owner loved the animal.
“It’s really too bad he couldn’t keep it in the city, but there’s bylaws for a reason, and some crocodilian species can be potentially dangerous to people,” Loyst said.
According to Loyst, the reptile was discovered after police responded to a 911 call at the residence. It’s unclear if the call was related to the reptile. Once police saw the caiman, they altered animal control, which then transferred the reptile to the sanctuary.
“Unfortunately, it can’t go back to the wild. We don’t know where it was taken from, now it’s been in captivity. It’s used to people feeding it and things like that. So, it can’t go back to the wild,” Loyst explained, while adding that the caiman will be staying with them for good, even though the sanctuary is at full capacity.
Since Toronto Animal Services posted about the reptile, people have been reacting to the strange discovery.
“Wild animals should be in their natural habitat, the wild. Or a responsible sanctuary. People should not have any wild animals as a pet. It’s not fair for the animal. Thanks for helping this guy out ❤️🐊,” says one Instagram user.
“So many questions but in the end it’s most important that this caiman is in best hands with its own species! Glad you were able to arrange that 👏👏❤️,” another user commented.
“If he was rescued as a hatchling then he should have been handed over to an appropriate place where he probably is now,” another user said.
A complete list of animals that are prohibited to keep in the City of Toronto can be found here.
