21 February 2023 , 11:54
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An alligator dubbed Godzilla has been dragged out of a lake in the middle of New York city in a rare encounter.
The 4ft creature was spotted on Sunday morning in Brooklyn's Prospect Park in the US after being found "very lethargic and possibly cold-shocked", according to New York City Parks.
The alligator had been found in a poor condition and was believed to have been ditched by its owner.
It remains unclear how the animal ended up in the park as abandoning animals in New York parks is illegal.
This is due to alligators being a serious threat to animals in the park as they can "lead to the elimination of native species".
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New York City Parks said urban public spaces "are not suitable homes for animals not indigenous to those parks".
The reptile was said to be in a poor condition (NYC Parks/AFP via Getty Images)In a statement, NYC Parks said: "Thankfully no one was harmed and the animal is being evaluated.
"In addition to the potential danger to park-goers this could have caused, releasing non-indigenous animals or unwanted pets can lead to the elimination of native species and unhealthy water quality."
No one was hurt despite the park being packed with families enjoying the sunshine at the weekend.
Many were having picnics and dog owners were out taking a stroll when the animal was suddenly identified.
The alligator was rescued and later taken to Bronx Zoo to help aid its recovery.
Alligators are normally seen in warm climates including Florida and Louisiana, however, the reptile was spotted in New York where temperatures reached 9C.
Alligators in New York are rare (Getty Images)Reptiles spotted in New York are rare after the last alligator escaped in June 2001.
Residents spent five days trying to capture the stray animal in Central Park.
Rangers are called to around 500 animal health reports a year, according to New York's Urban Park.
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The incident comes just days after an 85-year-old woman was mauled to death by an alligator in Florida on Monday.
The woman, who has not been identified, was out walking her dog near her retirement home in Fort Pierce, Florida, when she was savagely attacked and killed.
She had reportedly tried to help her dog get away from the animal when she was attacked.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a statement: "The victim has been recovered and a contracted nuisance alligator trapper has captured the alligator involved in the incident."
The dog survived the incident.