Rescued alligator transported to new home, injured from months in the wild

The latest alligator rescued from along the Kiski River near Apollo has new digs.

Neo, a pet alligator reported missing since September in Kiski Township, was safely captured by cyclists Friday evening along the Roaring Run Trail.

Nathan Lysaght, founder and director of Nate’s Reptile Rescue, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that accepts reptiles whose owners can no longer care for them, volunteered to drive Friday evening to an undisclosed location to fetch Neo and relocate the reptile to his rescue.

“This is the 11th alligator I have from Kiski Township,” Lysaght said.

Lysaght provided an update Sunday on Neo’s condition, confirming the gator suffered an eye injury sometime during his six months living in and around the Kiski River.

Neo also needs to pack on some pounds, and his teeth are a little small for his size, Lysaght said.

“The injury is to his left eye, it’s a lens issue. He will be receiving treatment to it. Alligators can be violent when eating and catching their food,” Lysaght said of what might have caused the eye injury.

“He’s underweight. He has loose skin around his neck and limbs.”

Despite Neo’s medical issues, he’s expected to recover and gain weight once he starts eating chicken, mice and rats provided by the rescue.

In the wild, Lysaght said, Neo likely survived by eating birds, small mammals and fish.

After arriving at the rescue, the 4-foot gator remained a little jumpy Sunday, Lysaght said.

“He’s pretty stressed out. He needs time to settle in,” he said.

Neo needs to grow to a length of 6 feet or larger before being transported to another facility. When that happens, Neo is slated to be transported to a rescue in Florida or Texas.

Lysaght said he was a bit surprised to hear of Neo’s capture this far into a Pittsburgh winter, but the mild Western Pennsylvania temperatures contributed to the gator’s survival.

He praised the quick rescue efforts of the cyclists that scooped up Neo and delivered him promptly to police Friday evening.

“I didn’t have high hopes for Neo’s survival, but alligators can survive by slowing their bodies down,” he said.

The rescue houses 15 crocodilians, including Chomper, rescued from the Kiski River last August. Nate’s Reptile Rescue relies solely on donations to care for all of the housed animals.