It was a reptilian reunion Tuesday between the small alligator rescued from the Charles River in Boston two weeks ago and the man who initally spotted him.

Trevor Rochelle said he was walking along the Esplanade when he saw the animal, and he and his girlfriend immediately called animal agencies and posted online to get help.

“We started just trying to get the word out, get someone out there that could help him out,” said Rochelle.

Joe Kenney, a wildlife educator licensed to care for alligators, responded to the call and rescued the alligator from the water. Kenney believes the alligator, now named Charles, was a dumped pet. When he found him, he said he was suffering from a respiratory issue likely caused by the cold.

“People end up with them and they don’t know what to do with them,”

See Full Page