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Wildlife officials: Caiman found abandoned in FDR Park euthanized

Published  March 23, 2023 11:18am EDT
Philadelphia
FOX 29 Philadelphia

Caiman found abandoned in Philadelphia's FDR Park euthanized

The caiman found abandoned in FDR Park earlier this month has been euthanized, officials say. FOX 29's Karen Hepp has the details.

PHILADELPHIA - A caiman discovered at FDR Park in Philadelphia in early March has been euthanized, according to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. 

The caiman was found abandoned in the park on March 5 and the Animal Care & Control Team of Philadelphia (ACCT Philly) came to take the reptile to safety. 

Agency officials were able to recover the reptile with no injuries and warned against abandoning animals, especially ones not native to the United States. 

The commission says they were unable to find a home for the reptile, forcing them to put it down. 

Caimans are not native to North America and can grow up to five feet long. 

Man reels in caiman while fishing in FDR Park

Lisa Cephas told FOX 29 she was on her normal Sunday morning when she saw a Issac Peyton, a fisherman from Delaware County, reel in the 3-foot reptile. A video posted to social media shows Peyton holding the caiman until Philadelphia police arrived and used their crime scene tape to safely close its mouth.