When most think of alligators, they probably picture a swamp somewhere in Florida where alligators roam freely. That wasn’t the case for this reptile, as park officials discovered a four-foot-long alligator swimming in a New York lake.
The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation said a maintenance staff member at Prospect Park in Brooklyn spotted an alligator swimming in the park’s lake on February 19, 2023. They quickly notified the authorities about the animal’s presence.
The alligator was captured and taken to Animal Care and Control before finally being transferred to the Bronx Zoo for rehabilitation. “Parks are not suitable homes for animals not indigenous to those parks-domesticated or otherwise,” NYC Parks said.
They added: “In addition to the potential danger to park goers this could have caused, releasing non-indigenous animals or unwanted pets can lead to the elimination of native species and unhealthy water quality. In this case, the animal was found very lethargic and possibly cold-shocked since it is native to warm, tropical climates.”
Police are currently investigating how the alligator ended up in the park.