Your Province
'Gator loose on campus
Hunt on for reptile spotted in Trinity Western ravine
Jack Keating, The Province
Published: Friday, April 27, 2007

LANGLEY - An alligator is still on the loose at Trinity Western University campus in Langley.

"It's still in the ravine," university spokeswoman Erin Mussolum said yesterday. "It's still at large."

Paul Springate of Reptile Refuge has been trying to locate the 60-centimetre-long reptile for the past two days after being called to the campus by university officials.

The reptile was spotted by security staff "during their rounds" of the Langley campus Tuesday night.

Springate searched for the reptile in the watery ravine that cuts through the campus for about seven hours Wednesday and yesterday without success.

Students have been told to stay away from the area where the crocodilian was spotted.

Crocodilians include alligators, crocodiles, caimans and gavials.

"This ravine cuts from the north to south of campus. The water is covered with low-lying branches and it looks like the perfect habitat for an alligator," said Mussolum.

A bright light was used in the ravine late Wednesday and early yesterday "to spotlight this little guy and we never found him," said Springate, who has left pork and salmon as bait for the reptile the past two nights.

"We're going to entice him to keep taking free handouts and then we lay the trap out," said Springate, curator of Reptile Refuge, a non-profit society that cares for unwanted and abused reptiles and other exotic pets.

"Crocs just love pigs. We're basically taking [the late crocodile hunter] Steve Irwin's idea and we're shrinking it into a smaller trap, and try and catch a croc.

"We're trying to keep people away from the area. The less human contact, the more likely we are to catch it," said Springate.

"We're hoping either Saturday or Sunday we end up catching him."

Springate surmised that a student at Trinity Western owned the reptile as a pet and decided to release it in the ravine.

The university says it's keeping students and staff updated on the situation.

"We've let everybody know to basically stay away from the area," said Mussolum. "The alligator hasn't been caught and if anybody sees it, please call Reptile Refuge."