Alligators in MoCo? No, it’s just a hoax

Man to be charged with placing warning signs in county parks

January 29, 2025 5:47 p.m.

No, alligators are not native to Maryland – despite a recent slew of signs placed along Sligo Creek Trail in Takoma Park warning visitors of the reptiles’ presence.

“The Maryland-National Capital Park Police are aware of unauthorized signs warning residents about the presence of alligators in local bodies of water. This information is entirely false, and the unauthorized signs have been removed by staff,” the police department wrote in a news release Wednesday. “There are no alligators in this area. Any claims about a managed alligator hunt or alligator-related warnings are purely fictitious.”

According to the news release, a man “has been identified for posting the signs, and charges are pending.” The release did not identify the man or say what charges he would be facing.

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The sign says: “DO NOT DISTURB THE ALLIGATORS. Our alligators are not dead or sleeping. This time of year, alligators enter “brumation”, the reptile version of hibernation. They may remain immobile for days, their metabolism slowed to the bare minimum. But don’t be fooled! They are easily startled, fast, and very dangerous! Do not feed and keep small children and pets from the water’s edge.”

The sign cites the Maryland Department of Herpetological Resources, which is not an actual government entity.

It is unclear who is behind the signs. The Montgonion, a satirical blog, published a comedic post on Dec. 17 claiming a dog had been attacked and eaten by an alligator at a Wheaton park. The dog pictured in the story appears to be an artificial-intelligence generated image of a green-and-pink poodle.

The blog later posted a video on Instagram on Dec. 19 about the signs.

According to screenshots from the video, The Silver Spring Patch reported on the signs on Dec. 18, saying that a dog had been attacked and eaten by an alligator at a Wheaton park. A URL for the article exists, but indicates the story has been removed from The Silver Spring Patch website and redirects to the general news feed.

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The Montgonion was responsible for a hoax in October, using signs to promote the reopening of long-closed popular Montgomery Donuts shop. The Silver Spring Patch reported on the opening as fact, while The MoCoShow later debunked it as a hoax.

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Pete Piringer used the satirical signs as an opportunity to remind county residents to stay out of icy bodies of water.

“What ever it takes to keep people safe & off the ice …. With cold weather & fluctuating temps AREA ICE is more DANGEROUS than EVER……NO OUTDOOR ICE is SAFE – Stay OFF!” he wrote in a social media post.

The Maryland-National Capital Park Police are encouraging anyone who has observed the signs or seen someone posting them in “Montgomery Parks” to contact the Criminal Investigations Unit’s Tip Line at 301-929-2748 or CrimeTips@mncparkpolice.org.

“We encourage residents to verify information through reliable sources, including official county communications, and avoid sharing unverified claims that may cause unnecessary alarm,” the news release said.

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