Pet alligator to stay home with his human mom

It’s the ending to a perfect Christmas story that can only happen in Florida.

Rambo the alligator will get to stay home with his human mom after a months-long battle with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, according to ABC Action News.

READ MORE: Coconut Grove man wants to keep his cookie- and pizza-loving gator

In March, Lakeland resident Mary Thorn, owner of Rambo, was concerned that FWC officials would make her give up the six-foot-long reptile that she’s had for almost 10 years because he needed to be on 2.5 acres of land. Thorn told the Orlando Sentinel that Rambo has a sensitivity to light because he grew up in a dark tank with other alligators before she got him.

The trained 15-year-old gator rides on the back of a motorcycle, wears clothes and has his own room, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The FWC ruling this month came with a stipulation: Rambo is no longer allowed to be shown off in public, like in conservation classes and charity events.

“He’s family. I love him like my family,” Thorn told ABC Action News, as Rambo sat patiently dressed in a Santa hat and camouflage glasses. “All my kids are grown so all I have are my animals.”

This story was originally published December 21, 2016 at 11:27 AM with the headline "Pet alligator to stay home with his human mom."