Alligator Discovered by Newport Man to Stay on Island, For Now

An alligator sighting in Portsmouth has caused quite the stir today, and it all started after a Newport man first reported seeing the reptile.

The alligator was first spotted in Sisson Pond by Newport resident Dan Cinotti on Saturday morning. Cinotti, a bird naturalist and amateur photographer, was hiking along the pond near the electrical tower around 10 a.m., when he spotted something scaly perched on a rock. 

"I couldn't believe my eyes," he said. "My first thought was I better look again."

Look again he did.

Cinotti also took out his camera and photographed the Sisson Pond alligator. He then phoned and left messages with both local police and the state Department of Environmental Management.

Members of both agencies visited the pond on Monday to investigate. The three-foot-long alligator was seen swimming in the southern section of the pond, not far from the town line, but environmental officers from the DEM were unable to capture the cold-blooded reptile.

"It was very elusive," said DEM spokeswoman Gail Mastrati. "They were not able to secure it." 

The alligator will remain at Sisson Pond for now unless the owners of the property request the reptile's removal, Mastrati said. The section of Sisson Pond where the alligator was located is privately owned.

"At this point, we were unable to secure the alligator," Mastrati said. "If contacted by the owners of the property and they request its removal, we would return and try to capture it. We would try to place it with a zoo."

According to DEM, the reptile is not expected to survive due to the region's colder temperatures. Alligators are native to warmer climates and typically cannot survive a New England winter.

"It's unfortunate," Mastrati said. "Typically, people keep these alligators at pets and they tend to release them when they can no longer take care of it."

Authorities are asking residents to be cautious and aware of the creature.

Police originally asked residents to stay away from the pond. However, authorities now say the alligator is considered less of a threat due to its size.

There is no swimming allowed in the pond, but people do hike and fish along the pond's shore.