Alligator On The Loose From Wisconsin Zoo Found

An alligator managed to escape from his enclosure from a private zoo in Wisconsin Saturday (May 22).

Doc's Zoo at Doc's Harley Davidson in Bonduel posted on their Facebook page that "Rex," the alligator, had gone missing.

The Facebook post told the public to keep a distance from the alligator and not to harm him. It stated that he "is very old & has severe arthritis in his jaws making it very difficult to open his mouth more than an inch."

Steve "Doc" Hopkins, the zoo's owner, told FOX 11 that Rex has been at the zoo for 35 years and the alligator can't do much because, along with having arthritis in his jaws, he is unathletic and overweight.

Hopkins also said, "He doesn't go hunt for his food. He's never had to do that. I don't even think he knows how."

In an updated Facebook post on Monday (May 24), Doc's Zoo said Rex has been found and is safe back at home.

In another post made to their Facebook page on Monday (May 24), the zoo noted that Doc's son found Rex just before 5 p.m. in a "swampy wooded area on the Doc's complex."

Rex is one of four alligators that Doc's Zoo has. The alligators are usually in their heated indoor pond during the winter, but they were let outside just last week.

On the zoo's website, it states that many of the animals at the facility were surrendered to them by people who could no longer take care of them.

Doc's zoo is privately funded and is free to the public.

Photo: Getty Images