The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office recently responded to a report pertaining to a roughly 2-foot long alligator. A deputy arrived on scene and soon learned the creature was actually just a plastic toy.

Handling an alligator is usually a scary ordeal for even the most seasoned cops and wildlife officials. However, a recent encounter with a thought-to-be gator in Minnesota turned out to be rather mellow.

The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office recently responded to a report pertaining to a roughly 2-foot long alligator. The call came from a man who had been mowing a yard near wetlands when the creature was spotted.

A deputy arrived on scene and located the small gator on the grass near a swampy area. The cop walked over to the creature and quickly noticed it didn’t move.

He took out his baton to investigate a little further, but still, no movement was detected. It didn’t take long for the deputy to realize the gator wasn’t alive. It actually wasn’t even real.

The cop learned it was nothing but a realistic-looking toy that had either been placed or dropped on the grass. The plastic toy was safely removed off the property, leaving staffers with Stearns County Minnesota Government an interesting story to share on its Facebook page.