A sharp-toothed, scaly surprise gave some people walking on a Massachusetts trail quite a fright, officials said Tuesday.
Only what appeared to be an alligator in the water turned out on closer inspection — and a call to animal control in Andover — to be a toy alligator.
It all played out at Deer Jump Reservation, which is along the Merrimack River, Andover Animal Control said in a social media post, sharing images of the small rubber object. Three officers were called out by the group who spotted the toy: "Nervous to get too close, they described what they were able to see before we ventured in."
The officers broke out in laughter when they found the "very well camouflaged" alligator that was "placed to look like the real thing."
"We retrieved and removed the toy to prevent others from having mini panic attacks while walking the trails, however this is a FABULOUS reminder as to why you should always keep your dog leashed," the post said.
Andover Animal Control noted that it's not the first time someone's called in an alligator in the area — NBC10 Boston has reached out for more information.
Three years ago, a three-foot alligator was fished out of the Westfield River by a kayaker near the Big E fairgrounds in western Massachusetts.
