New York City Parks Department workers were in for a big surprise Sunday when they discovered and rescued an alligator in a Brooklyn park, according to the department.
(CNN) --
Workers with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation were in for a scaly surprise Sunday when they discovered an alligator in Brooklyn's Prospect Park, according to the agency.
A park maintenance worker saw the alligator in the Prospect Park lake, department spokesman Dan Kastanis said.
The 4-foot alligator was in "poor condition," Kastanis said.
Courtesy: NYC Parks
"The animal was very sleepy and possibly cold-shocked, as it is native to warm, tropical climates," Kastanis added.
Members of Parks Enforcement Control and Urban Park Rangers captured the alligator, which was later transferred to the Bronx Zoo for rehabilitation.
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No one was hurt, but the Parks Department stressed the danger of releasing non-native animals into New York parks.
“The parks are not suitable homes for animals that are not native to these parks, domesticated or not,” Kastanis said.
"In addition to the potential danger to park visitors this could have caused, the release of non-native animals or unwanted pets can lead to the removal of native species and unhealthy water quality."
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