Residents of Granite Falls, WA., can breathe a sigh of relief after a weekend of excitement over what was thought to be a loose alligator turned out to be a large pet lizard. The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office recently made a public announcement alerting the community via X (formerly Twitter) about the sighting of a 10-foot alligator.
The tweet included a photo of the reptile basking in the sun, causing quite a stir. “The reptile was last seen south of Ray Grade Rd toward the Pilchuck River. No further information at this time,” the sheriff’s office posted. As one would expect, this caused a mix of worry and a bit of fun among locals.
The ‘alligator’ that was spotted in Washington. Photo by The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office
However, the mystery was soon solved. Shanna Duncan, a member of the Granite Falls Community Connection Facebook group, clarified the situation by identifying the “alligator” as her pet white Argentine tegu named Tazz. “His name is Tazz and he is very, very tame,” Duncan posted on social media. “He is not dangerous and a very beloved family pet. Please do not hurt him if you see him. Please contact me here or animal control.”
While initially described as 10 feet long, Argentine tegus like Tazz rarely exceed 4 feet. These lizards, native to Central and South America, are not typically aggressive, but do have sharp claws and teeth.
Locals quickly dubbed Tazz the “Gator of Granite,” and efforts to find him included drones and a hunting dog. Within days, Duncan and her sons, Avery and Railan, successfully located Tazz in a barn about a mile from their home.
Avery Duncan reunites with Tazz after the pet lizard escaped from its enclosure. Photo courtesy of Shanna Duncan
Granite Falls Police Department Chief Dalton thanked the community for their help and addressed any confusion caused by the initial report. “We responded to a complaint last night and were provided with certain information, and it was only prudent to post for public safety reasons. We apologize if we upset some of our community members but as we say, ‘safety first,’” Dalton said.
Duncan said the whole family was thrilled to have Tegu, whom she describes as quite sweet, back home. “He even sleeps with my disabled cat, Acid,” she said.
The family couldn’t thank the town enough for everything they did. “The whole weekend felt like living in a movie. The entire town came to my family’s aid,” Duncan said. “I think people really needed a positive story to make them laugh. This was definitely it.”
Animal drama isn’t new to this part of Washington. Earlier in the spring, four zebras escaped their trailer while being transported to Montana. All four animals were eventually found and sent on their way.
