NEW YORK CITY (WPIX) — According to the officials, park staff were able to save an alligator that was discovered on Sunday in Prospect Park Lake.
According to a representative for the New York City Parks Department, an alligator of around 1 meter in length was seen on Sunday morning.
It was discovered that the alligator was in bad condition. Because it is native to warmer climates, it may have been startled by the cold and become quite lethargic as a result.
According to a representative for the park system, “parks are not ideal homes for animals that are not indigenous to those parks—domesticated or otherwise.”
“In addition to the possible risk that this could have posed for park users, releasing non-native animals or unwanted pets can lead to the extinction of native species and bad water quality,” the National Park Service explains.
According to the officials, the alligator was initially transported to an Animal Care Center, and then it was sent to the Bronx Zoo for rehabilitation. Throughout the process of recapturing the alligator, nobody was hurt in any way.
Officials have stated that it is against the law to let animals go in New York City parks. Anyone who comes across an animal that appears to have been abandoned should either dial 311 or look for an urban park ranger.
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Around 500 complaints about the circumstances of animals are brought to the attention of urban park rangers in New York City each year.
