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Alligator Search in Vechta Called Off After Video Deemed Fake

Following IT experts’ findings that the footage was shot elsewhere, authorities are weighing legal charges against the man who reported the sighting.

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Entwarnung: Reptil-Video unmöglich von Gelände in Vechta
Abgesperrte Wiesen rund um ein Regenrückhaltebecken in Vechta
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Overview

  • A man claimed on June 13 to have filmed an alligator in a 2.5-hectare rainwater retention basin in Vechta, triggering an official investigation.
  • City officials cordoned off the area, deployed drones and set a live trap with rat bait while preparing to drain the basin if the reptile remained at large.
  • Initial police and municipal reviews found no signs of tampering, but a June 16 analysis by IT experts showed the video could not have been filmed at the site.
  • When confronted with the forensic findings, the man admitted he did not record the footage and that it was taken elsewhere.
  • Authorities have called off the search and are weighing legal consequences for the individual under regulations banning private ownership of dangerous reptiles.