Possible Alligator Spotted In Elk Grove Lake
ELK GROVE (CBS13) — Some Elk Grove residents are on high alert after an alligator is spotted in a neighborhood lake. Witnesses say the unlikely guest surfaced earlier this week and one neighbor took its picture, which is now going viral.
In the Camden Park, there's something lurking in the lake.
"It came up and it would go straight under and up and under. We saw a head come up. The body was like three or four feet long," said Karen Keeslar, who first spotted the alligator.
Keeslar says the first encounter was on Wednesday, and on Thursday, she saw it again. She says an alligator was inside Camden Lake right across the street from her home. She snapped a photo and shared it on social media.
Gavin Crutcher lives in the community and says he didn't hesitate to check it out. Thursday night, he and other neighbors gathered around the lake to take a peak. Crutcher says the gator wasn't aggressive, even walking the shoreline alongside its spectators.
Sharon Anderson, President of the Camden Neighborhood Association, also saw it.
"To all of a sudden have one show up it means that somebody dumped it and usually when someone dumps it, it means they raised it from when they were cute and little and that it got too big to handle," said Anderson.
Neighbors say the number of birds and geese in the area have drastically dropped since last week, but Keeslar's biggest fear is for the families with young kids, the fisherman and the people and pets who enjoy the lake every day.
"I'm concerned about the people that are out here with their dogs and mostly more than that, are the people that are fishing along the edge with their kids."
Fish and Wildlife was on scene Friday afternoon and later cordoned off the lake and put up a sign warning the public to stay out of the area.
As intriguing as a gator in Elk Grove may be, it's still dangerous and folks living in the area say they hope they won't see the alligator later.
"I hope you catch it," said Elk Grove resident Ed Well.
Fish and Wildlife continued to search for the alligator Friday evening.