Overview

• Officials first spotted the 400-pound, 10-foot alligator resting near Old 30 Road on May 28.
• Onslow County Sheriff’s deputies teamed up with North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission officers to safely secure the reptile, nicknamed 'Pepe the Gator'.
• The alligator was transported to Camp Geiger in Jacksonville, North Carolina, without injury to humans or the animal.
• Authorities estimate Pepe had wandered three to five miles from its nearest water source before coming to rest on the roadside.
• Wildlife officials cautioned residents against approaching or feeding wild alligators and emphasized heightened vigilance during warmer months.