A helicopter joined the search for an alligator reported to be in the Kiski River, but didn’t spot it.
Since Sunday’s initial report, Kiski Township Police Chief Lee Bartolicius said multiple sightings of the reptile have been reported. He said authorities are working to locate it, safely remove it from the river and find a suitable home for it, such as a zoo or reptile facility.
“On Wednesday, a local resident that owns a helicopter scoured the river several times in an effort to see it,” Bartolicius said.
The volunteer helicopter pilot was not available for comment Thursday, but Bartolicius said the man contacted police and offered to help.
“The public assistance has been phenomenal,” Bartolicius said.
On Sunday, a party of six kayakers photographed and then reported their sighting of a 4-foot alligator to the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission.
The search area includes portions of the river from the Salina Bridge to Apollo.
Bartolicius urges anyone encountering the alligator to notify authorities immediately by calling 911 with their cellphone to pinpoint the exact location.
“I don’t think it’s going to roam very far because I think it was a domestic,” said Armstrong County Humane Officer Amber Phillips. “I think it may stay close to where it was dumped. It’s likely never lived in the wild.”
