a_virginian's Favorites

Source website: https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/68651
I was looking for nature pictures in the Florida memory photo archive and found this not sure who the photographer is to give them credit but wanted to bring this photo to light.

*this appears to be a released pet leucistic axolotl, which we were able to capture, and are holding until pick up by someone locally who can care for it properly

Update :( unfortunately the person who took over caring for this little guy let us know that he passed away overnight on 18June - they had eaten, but were unable to keep food down (also, it was in rough shape when we found them - gills looked terrible, emaciated, and one eye was damaged/partly missing)

Some context/further details:
We found them in the creek behind where we live, which is a highly populated residential area. It seemed like they were “stuck/scared” (if we hadn’t found them I think they would have just stayed there until they died or were predated), and when we went down with a bucket they crawled right in. While waiting for the person we had found who has experience with them, they seemed to be accustomed to people/were approaching us in the temporary tub we’d set up for them. Also, my spouse had seen someone the previous day (it may have been 2 days prior) down in the creek (like maybe 10 metres away from where we found this wee one), which is not normal (we’re usually the only nature nerds around here!) and thinks they had an emptied bag when they left.

All that to say that although we have no proof that this was a very recent release of an already ill pet, it seems unlikely that they’d been living in the creek for much more than 24 hrs before we found them. I’m still glad we tried to help <3

Spotted on bank of cattle pond and then scurried into the water. No fencing or containment.

Note: To clarify, all signs indicate this is either a

1. Uncontained pet on private property
2. Deliberately abandoned pet
3. Escaped pet that has managed to travel to this location (if this option, not likely to have traveled far due to rural setting with few homes spaced 1/4mile to 1 mile+ apart and scarce water sources)

Last night, April 25, my roommates and I found two baby American alligators( this record is the second one) when we were fishing by a lake in Johnson Park, Piscataway, New Jersey. Both alligators were found hidden underneath twigs and litters by the water. This is kinda insane. Both alligators are about one foot long. Each has a metaltag with numbers on the right rear feet. Obviously, they were released or escaped form someone or some facilities. Having a alligators as a pet is completely illegal in New Jersey, also they are not able to go through the cold winter here. So I have no idea why they were appear in this small pond at a relatively busy park.
I captured both alligators after I spotted them. And reported to wildlife department immediately. NJ State Conservation Police will come to pick them up tomorrow morning.