KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — East Tennessee is no stranger to wildlife, from bears wandering the roads of Knox County to raccoons rummaging in your backyard. And sometimes, that also includes big, scaly reptiles.
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency responded to a call for assistance from Knoxville Animal Control on Wednesday, June 21.
Knoxville Police Department said it received a call around 8:30 a.m. of an abandoned caiman in a mid-sized aquarium left on the loading dock of a local business. TWRA and KPD captured the animal and delivered it to a facility experienced in handling caimans.
TWRA identified the animal as a spectacled caiman, which can grow up to eight feet long. TWRA emphasized that caimans can pose a severe risk to both human safety and native wildlife.
According to TWRA, while it is legal to own exotic animals like caimans, owners must not abandon them. Both KPD and TWRA said it is illegal to release captive wildlife. You can read more on laws dealing with captive animals at Wildlife Permits (tn.gov).
