Brooklyn residents were surprised to spot a dangerous animal wandering through a park before it was captured by authorities.
Releasing animals into the wild is never a very good idea, and even less so when the animal in question is a dangerous carnivore. In the middle of February when New York temperatures hover around 10 degrees, walkers and rangers in Prospect Park, a large green space in Brooklyn, were surprised to see… an alligator. The animal, briefly nicknamed Godzilla by the public, was seen on the morning of February 19 at the edge of a body of water. Despite the mild weather for New Yorkers, the four-foot-tall reptile accustomed to Florida and its hot, humid climate was in poor condition due to the cold.
According to BBCthe rangers who found it described an alligator”very lethargic” et possibly in shock from the cold. He was soon captured while in a pond to be brought to the Bronx Zoo, the largest in the city, where caregivers were able to put him back on his feet. A statement issued by the City of New York states: “fortunately, no one was injured and the animal is under observation”. The authorities also wished to recall that “Parks are not suitable habitats for this type of animal, whether domestic or not. They can be dangerous for walkers, cause natural species to disappear or even alter water quality”.
New Pets Regularly Dropped
The origin of the animal is still a mystery, but it is very likely that the alligator has been released into the park by an owner tired of having it at home, or frightened by the size of the reptile. It is common for what are now referred to as “new pets” to be unfortunately released into the wild after owners realize the upkeep and attention they require. Each year, New York City Park Rangers respond to more than 500 animal calls.
