Source: CJWHiggins / Getty
A three-foot Caiman was found roaming in FDR park earlier this week. Authorities received a call from a fisherman around 10 a.m. Sunday morning after he discovered the reptile roaming in the waters. Officials from the Animal Care and Control Team (ACCT) determined the animal was a caiman, which unlike an alligator, isn’t native to North America.
So what to make of this uncommon appearance? Sarah Barnett, Executive Director of ACCT Philly, said that the caiman appearance is not coincidence as it was not born here. “This is somebody’s pet. Somebody ordered this maybe online,” Barnett said. “It grew to be a lot bigger than they thought it would be, or there are a lot of myths out there, which are if you feed them less they will stay small, which is literally starving an animal.”
There are certain conditions these animals need to be efficiently housed as pets. Canines need at least an eight-by-eight temperature controlled water tub for the canine, which is not an included amenity in most Philadelphia homes.
“It’s unfortunate because people have no idea how much space they need,” said Barnett. “Really hoping people see this animal and see what they grow to be and learn a little bit about their longevity and realize this is not bringing home a bearded dragon,”
ACCT Philly released a tweet welcoming their temporary guest and reminding the public not to abandon animals, as it is illegal in Pennsylvania
Unclaimed Caiman Found in Philadelphia’s FDR Park was originally published on rnbphilly.com
