'No gator in Angier Lake,' park officials say
HARNETT COUNTY, North Carolina (WTVD) -- One woman claims she saw an alligator in Angier Lake at Jack Marley Park, but park officials aren't so sure.
The sighting was first reported in the Daily Record. A woman claimed she saw the gator swimming in the middle of the pond.
Park officials tell ABC11 they haven't seen an alligator and never received an official complaint; however, they said there is plenty of other wildlife around the lake.
Authorities said they've been keeping a close key on the duck count as an alligator would be their predator. But so far, no evidence shows that an alligator is present.
Other visitors of the park said they haven't seen the reptile but do believe something else is lurking.
"He'll put his neck down, come after me, (and) then I'll skate away," Robyn Chrone said.
Chrone isn't worried about an alligator but a pesky goose that keeps her on her toes.
"I'm from Alaska so we don't have alligators," she said. "So I'm enamored with alligators. I like snakes, I'm kinda weird like that."
Meanwhile, Corey Williams is waiting for a different kind of bite. He fishes at the lake for hours at a time and hasn't had any weird encounters.
"My grandma used to tell me, 'If you go fishing on Sunday's, you're going to catch the devil' and I've been fishing ever since and haven't caught him yet," he said.
Park officials said the park is home to a variety of wildlife including ducks, geese, turtles, and fish which is why park officials said an alligator is unlikely.
So, what did the woman who reported the alligator see? Parks and Recreations officials said snapper turtles often resemble floating gators.
"The only thing we've seen here in the pond are snapping turtles or other turtles," Assistant Parks and Recreation Director, Blaze Cameron said.
ABC11 was told a state wildlife official lives nearby and checks this area pretty frequently. Park officials also said they're keeping a close watch.
Several years ago an alligator was pulled from a body of water in Western Harnett County. The pet gator escaped from its owner and was later caught and released in Wilmington.
