An alligator egg was taken from a zoo 20 years ago. The now 8-foot reptile has returned, authorities say.

Wyatte Grantham-Philips, USA TODAY
Tue, March 7, 2023 

A decades-long journey from a Texas zoo to a rural backyard came full circle when police located an alligator and returned it to the zoo where a gator egg went missing more than 20 years ago.

Investigators believe the alligator egg was taken from the Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo in New Braunfels. They believe the egg hatched into a female alligator that grew to be nearly 8 feet long before authorities discovered it in a Caldwell County woman's backyard while they were in the area for a separate incident, Texas Game Wardens public information officer Jen Shugert told USA TODAY.

The woman, who has not been identified by name, told officials that she had acquired the alligator egg at the Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo.

This 8-foot alligator found in a Texas woman's backyard was relocated to Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo.

The woman told Jarrod Forthman, the zoo's director, that "she stuck (the egg) in her pocket... and walked out the door" while volunteering at the zoo more than 20 years ago, Forthman told USA TODAY. "I guess she essentially confessed to stealing it."

The woman cared for the alligator well, both Shugert and Forthman said, and the animal was in good health when officials found it. But she was unable meet the requirements for permits needed to keep the reptile.

"The owner fed it well (and) it was healthy by everyone's standards. It had just outgrown its habitat, unfortunately," Shugert said.

More: Alligator on a leash surprises park-goers in Philly. It was Wally the emotional support gator.

So, it was time to find the gator a new home – and officials decided to relocate it to the same zoo that the egg originated from.

After several weeks of preparations, officials from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo moved the gator to the zoo on Friday.

"She's doing fantastic. We introduced her to the group immediately on Friday after we found out it was a female," Forthman said, noting that female alligators are usually easier to introduce to groups "because the males are much more territorial."

In New York: 4-foot alligator found in lake at New York City park, transported to zoo for rehabilitation

Forthman added that alligator can now be seen in the zoo's big pond by visitors – including the previous owner.

The woman raised "a nice, happy healthy alligator that just unfortunately, the law wasn't going to allow her to have. So we're going to take care of it and let her come out and see the gator as often as she would like," he said. "Whether she... rightfully owned that alligator or not, that's still her pet that she's had for decades."

Alligators are protected under Texas law.

No one can take, purchase, sell or possess an alligator without a permit – which are difficult to get, Forthman said.

The individual in possession of this alligator was cited with two misdemeanors, Shugert said. Each citation carries up to a $500 fine.

"Alligators don’t make good pets, y’all," the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wrote in a Friday Instagram post.