A Florida man was arrested this past week for taking matters of local wildlife into his own hands. 71-year-old Robert Colin was given a felony charge for "illegally endangering an alligator," according to the NY Post. This senior citizen is accused of trying to tie the alligator above a canal near his home. Read on to learn how this Florida man lassoed this 9-foot alligator.
Florida Man Lassos Alligator In Florida
Robert Colin decided he needed to take matters into his own hands regarding the local wildlife. When speaking to a local news channel, this Florida resident decided to set the record straight. He explained that this was not a malicious act. He claimed he was "looking out for his community" because he was "tired of gators going after turtles" in his local canal. This Navy Veteran further sets the record straight when he explained that he did not "lasso" the gator as the headlines claim.
He told Fox 35 News, " I didn't lasso. I put it down and made the motion for up and down on the end of the rope, and he must have thought it was a turtle because turtles are white underneath. And he bit at it, and when he bit, he trapped himself in the top of the snout."
He used a clothesline for this "lassoing" and then tied the gator to a canal near his home afterward. Later, Robert called local authorities and said he had found the alligator there, but surveillance footage showed that he had trapped it. Due to the alligator's size, local officials had to euthanize it.
Florida Man Arrested Over Endangering Wildlife
While Florida man lassos alligator makes great headlines, it is not a great decision. Robert Colin is facing felony charges over his decision to "help the community." While the man told Brevard local news that he never thought he was breaking the law, it turns out he was. Brevard County news station shared a portion of the report from the sheriff's office explaining why he was arrested. That portion reads: "The defendant is not a licensed trapper and did not possess any proper licensing or permits to legally remove or attempt to remove an alligator." He was later released on bond.
