An Archbald resident was surprised Friday morning when, during a morning walk, he spotted what appeared to be a crocodile on Pine Street, also appearing to be taking a morning constitutional.
The man contacted police and officers soon arrived to assess the situation and make sure everyone was safe.
Police termed the wayward reptile as a crocodile, but the owner said the 2-foot-long house pet is an American alligator.
According to police chief Timothy Trently, officers called upon a Department of Public Works staffer familiar with reptiles.
A two-foot long crocodile was found in Archbald Friday morning. The little guy was returned to its owner. Code enforcement are working to ensure the owner is in compliance with borough regulations. (SUBMITTED)
Soon, the the alligator’s snout was secure and he was on his way back to the police station.
It was then police got a phone call indicating that a man thought the reptile belonged to his neighbor, and indeed it did.
The reptile was returned to its owner and, the borough’s code enforcement officer is ensuring that the owner is in compliance with borough ordinances.
Trently said the owner, who lived near the intersection of Pine and Wayne streets, recently moved to the area.
A resident of the Wayne Street residence acknowledged owning the alligator named Rex, but had no further comment.
The owner believes the alligator, which was in a pond near the house, was frightened by a bear and that’s why he took to the streets, according to Trently.
Pine Street resident Marie Andreoli who lives nearby didn’t see Rex herself, but said its presence in the neighborhood created quite a buzz.
Andreoli said she was impressed that the DPW worker familiar with reptiles stepped in and helped.
“He was in his element,” she said.
As for the alligator, it doesn’t bother Andreoli.
“I’m not scared,” she said. “But it did create quite a stir.”
According to The National Park Service, the American alligator ranges throughout the southeastern United States, and alligators within Everglades National Park in Florida exist at the southern extreme of their range. Alligators are an important part of the Everglades ecosystem and are considered a keystone species of Everglades National Park.
Elsewhere in the southeastern states, alligators primarily inhabit freshwater swamps and marshes and can also be found in rivers, lakes and smaller bodies of water.
But in NEPA, an alligator showing up on a street is a bit like a fish out of water.
Maximum lengths for adult alligators is 13-15 feet for males and 6-10 feet for females.
Trently pointed out that a while back, officers found a deceased land shark in the middle of the street, noting that its not the first time an unusual creature showed up in the borough.