It’s no urban legend: An alligator was found in a chilly New York City lake on Sunday, far from the subtropical and tropical climates where such creatures thrive.
The 4-foot (1.2-meter) reptile was pulled from Prospect Park Lake in Brooklyn around 8:30 a.m. and taken to an animal care center and then the Bronx Zoo for medical treatment and rehabilitation.
City officials said the gator appeared lethargic and possibly cold-shocked. It was likely dumped as an unwanted pet, they said. Releasing animals in city parks is illegal. Police are investigating.
For years, New Yorkers have pondered the myth that alligators roam the city’s sewer system, even celebrating Alligators in the Sewers Day as an unofficial February holiday.
Sightings like Sunday’s help keep the urban legend alive, but experts throw cold water on the sewer theory. Alligators aren’t suited to the sewer system's frigid, toxic environment, they say.
Hurricane Nigel has formed in the Atlantic and is expected to intensify in the next 24 hours. Meanwhile, Lee brought rough surf along the U.S.-Canada border but the storm is expected to dissipate by Tuesday.
Cheddar News checks in with a coast-to-coast forecast of the weather for Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, including the latest on Hurricane Lee.
The trial in the Elijah McClain case is set to begin Friday in a Colorado courtroom.
An Arkansas resident has died after being infected with a rare brain-eating amoeba.
The family of a 13-year-old boy who died after being bullied and hit at school has reached a $27 million settlement.
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The escaped prisoner who was on the run in Pennsylvania for several weeks was captured and will be charged with felony escape.
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A cruise ship that ran aground in Greenland with 206 people on board was freed on Thursday.
Hurricane Lee is churning north and on its way to New England where it will hit coastal areas.
