Caught On Camera: Missouri Man Finds And Captures Alligator In Backyard

A Missouri man was mowing his backyard and cutting down tree limbs when he discovered an alligator in the creek surrounding his home.

According to FOX 2, Chris Suljak usually hears bullfrogs jumping into the creek, but this time he only heard one big splash.

"I hear something on the shore and I started to hear a noise. I went around and all I heard was a splash, a tail go in the water and I saw a pretty good size tail," Suljak said.

His daughter heard him scream and went to ask if he was okay. "I said, 'no, I just saw an alligator and she started laughing," he added.

Suljak's stepdaughter and son-in-law arrived from out of state just in time to help him capture the alligator. "I rigged up a pole with my dog leash on it and we just made a noose," he said. After about three hours, they were able to secure the gator and his stepson, Marcus, caught the whole rescue on tape.

Suljak noted that the alligator was 54 inches long and weighed about 50 pounds.

A rescuer sent from the Bi-State Wildlife Hotline took the alligator off in a cage. Suljak later learned that the alligator belonged to a neighbor just a few miles away and had been missing for two weeks.

"He told me it happened to climb the face. He said it had never done that," Suljak said. "I think the thing’s name is fluffy."

Suljak believes the alligator has been reunited with its owner.