Alarm as Alligator 'that could put many people in danger' spotted by beachgoers in Pennsylvania

Beachgoers in Erie, Pennsylvania got more than they bargained for when they spotted an alligator swimming near the East Avenue Boat Launch on Sunday.

Sightings of the sizable reptile, estimated to be four to five feet long, led locals to alert authorities . The Erie Port Authority has now stepped up its vigilance both on land and water , reports WJW.

"We've been very diligent in making sure to keep an eye on the water and of course on the land ," Executive Director Julie Slomski said. "We've not had a sighting since then.

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"We have a team in place that is just monitoring our entire footprint and of course, on the water, just to make sure everyone is safe ."

With alligator warning signs posted, the Erie Port Authority is collaborating with seasoned southern trappers to handle the situation. As winter approaches, experts from the Erie Zoo expressed doubts about the cold-blooded creatures chances of survival and stressed the urgency of capturing it promptly.

Darren Julius, a reptile keeper at the Erie Zoo, explained: "They do go into a hibernation sort of thing called brumation where they won't eat quite as much during the winter and their bodies will slow down.

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"They're cold-blooded versus us and other mammals that are warm-blooded . They need the sun, they need the heat to be able to metabolize anything that they do eat."

Julius also mentioned that due to the alligator's size, it's likely around two to four years old, which he said means it'll primarily feed on tadpoles, frogs, fish or smaller mammals .

It is believed that the alligator was an exotic pet that somehow found its way into the lake . Julius went on: "It's definitely more scared of you than you are of it, so it'll probably just swim away from you anytime you're within like 10 feet of it. It's not really going to come after you ."

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Slomski added: "The concern is if somebody just released it in the bay like what we're hearing happened, it's disappointing because again, it puts many people in danger along with the gator itself."

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