Alligator discovered in New York City's Prospect Park lake!
New York, New York - An alligator was discovered in a popular park in the middle of New York City!
The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation found the four-foot-long beast in a cold-shocked state on Sunday morning.
"It’s totally unexpected," Joseph Puleo, vice president of District Council 37, told the New York Post. "We were notified by someone who saw it. It wasn’t moving really at all."
Alligators can adapt their body temperature to that of their environment, but at low temperatures, their metabolism comes to a standstill and they can neither eat nor move.
Park workers were able to capture the animal, drag it out of the water, and haul it away. No one was injured, and the alligator was fine, too.
The reptile was taken to Animal Care Centers of NYC, Puleo noted.
Was the alligator kept as a pet in Prospect Park?
Alligators are typically found in the southeast United States.
It's unclear how this gator got all the way to the Big Apple.
The most likely explanation is that the animal was kept as a pet and then abandoned in the park.
Every day, thousands of New Yorkers visit the park in the borough of Brooklyn. The large pond, green spaces, and winding paths provide a natural oasis in the midst of the bustling city.
Prospect Park is especially popular with families. Luckily, the animal was discovered before any tragedy occurred.
Cover photo: Collage: Facebook/Mike Roda, tanybird/123RF