Yes, this is real (and yes, it’s also a joke). The Onslow County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina has cited a humongous gator for Suspicion of Being a Dinosaur Without Proper Papers, Public Loitering with Intent to Sunbathe, and Obstructing Traffic. The joke landed well, making national news and attracting thousands of likes, comments, and shares.
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So, what exactly happened? Basically, a very large alligator was “loitering” near a roadway, and it didn’t have any intention of moving on its own. Officials arrived on scene and named the massive gator “Pepe,” and the rest is history. Deputies wrangled the gator off the pavement and safely relocated him.
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“On Wednesday, May 28, 2025, deputies in Onslow County and officers with NC Wildlife Resources Commission wrangled this prehistoric perp off the pavement today,” the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office wrote. “Witnesses say he was just chilling and snapping, clearly ignoring the ‘no loitering or lounging on roadways’ sign.”
“Pepe the Gator, 350-400 lbs, and almost 10 feet in length, has been cited for Suspicion of Being a Dinosaur Without Proper Papers, Public Loitering with Intent to Sunbathe, and Obstructing Traffic,” the sheriff’s office adds.
See the funny post about citing Pepe the gator for illegally being a dinosaur:
Header stock image by MikeDot/Getty Images
