NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)— A year later and neighbors of Uptown are still left with an unsolved mystery. How did the mysterious alligator which became known as “Dumpster Gator” end up in a Demo Diva dumpster in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida?

In the aftermath of Ida there were fences down, damaged roofs, and garbage bags piled up, but a dead alligator in the dumpster is what really sent shock waves through the Uptown neighborhood on Perrier and Upperline Streets.

Uptown resident Naomi Gadinsky was one of the first to spot the creature in early September of 2021.

“I woke up and it was business as usual, then my husband said there’s a large dead gator in the dumpster across the street from our house,” Gadinsky told WGNO’s Kenny Lopez.

Gadinsky along with other neighbors were left wondering how it got there? Was it roaming the streets and someone shot and killed it? Did someone have it from a fishing trip and then disposed of it in the dumpster?

“Normally this is a gator-free zone so this is pretty gross,” she added.

Demo Diva rented out the dumpster and the owner of Demo Diva Simone Bruni said they were unaware of the gator, but the alligator would be taken to the landfill with all the other garbage and debris from Hurricane Ida. Bruni even placed a flower on the gator to pay her respects to the alligator.

What happened next is something no one could’ve predicted — “Dumpster Gator” became a social media and viral sensation. The popular gift store, “Fleurty Girl” started selling “Dumpster Gator” stickers. Several people in the community painted art of the alligator, and a local woman even got a “Dumpster Gator” tattoo. This past Mardi Gras and Halloween people dressed up like “Dumpster Gator” and Mardi Gras floats were adorned with the image of the gator.

Still, neighbors are left wondering how did it get there in the first place? A year later with no answers, but at least neighbors have a story that is not fiction, but the strange truth.