What are the laws on someone taking an alligator from a natural lake?

: What are the laws on someone taking an alligator from a natural lake?
Say this is a 15 year old male in the US, are there any laws agaimst this. Lets say He keeps it as a pet and wants to know if its okay.
The alligator is decent size but he does have a leash on him bit he gets to live in a fenced in are with a pool and shade.
He is fed food as well, taken care of like a dog basically

Answers and Views:

Answer by Jagoffasaurus
Illegal as they are a protected species. Also, it’s illegal to own such exotic pets without a permit.

Answer by Kevin7
I think it is illegal and dangerous

Answer by Yas.Maz
This could be claimed from the government as “animal cruilty”, because you are taking the Alligator from it’s original habitat. Obviously, the aligator needs to be fed like when it’s in its original habitat, not fed like a dog or a cat.. Also, it is definatly not recommended to keep an alligator as a pet, if the alligator has health risks, call for help from a professional.

Answer by awesomeness
Illegal, dangerous, stupid and cruel. You are taking it away from it’s natural habitat and at 15 you probably don’t have enough information to do that without injuring your self or the gator. Again, illegal! Someone will at some time report you.

Answer by Bella Goth
This is really dangerous. Please set the alligator free. Before he bites your arm off.

Answer by Gabriella Rivera
I like cat

Answer by bailey
Its considered a felony offense

Answer by Nene
It’s illegal most definitly, because it’s dangerous
You can set it free then ask them if it’s ok to keep it with a permit, but most likely not

Answer by gimmenamenow
First off, without a permit to own it, it’s being kept illegally. Second, without the permit to take it from the wild, it was taken illegally.

Studies here in Florida have shown that 95% of alligator attacks link back to the animal being fed. When they learn to associate people with food, their mental process is not “Oh, there’s one of those things that feed me, I’m going to be nice.” it’s “Look, there’s one of those things that feed me, I’m going to go take some food from it.” When you keep or work with alligators (which I have, legally, for educational programs for the past 22 years) you learn that it’s not a matter of “if” you get bitten, it’s a matter of “when” you get bitten.

Now onto another issue if you haven’t thought of it from my last section already… “pet” alligators cannot be released into the wild. (not if you want a clear conscience next time you hear of someone being attacked or killed by one.) And without the proper permits and documentation zoos and gator farms can’t take it off your hands either… so what do you do with the monster you’ve created when it’s… oh, forget eight to ten feet long, a four or five footer is more than most people know what to do with, and can ruin you just as nicely.