Officials are warning Kensington Metropark visitors after a possible alligator sighting this week in Kent Lake.
Park police and other local officials searched Kent Lake until shortly after midnight on Thursday evening after a visitor reported seeing an alligator, Huron-Clinton Metroparks representatives said in a release.
Officials did not find the alligator on Thursday, but have posted warning signs in the park to alert the public, according to the statement.
The area where the sighting occurred is not open to swimming and not often frequented by boats. All areas of the park will remain open, officials reported Friday.
Officials believe the sighting, if real, may have been a pet alligator released into the lake, as the reptiles are not native to Michigan.
Releasing pets or wildlife into the Metroparks is prohibited, officials stated.
Visitors should stay away from the animal if they spot it and call Metroparks police at (810) 227-8910 right away, according to the statement.
