By Tim Binnall
A 'mystery creature' spotted in a Pennsylvania community earlier this week left wildlife experts divided as to the nature of the enigmatic animal that has yet to be found. According to a local media report, the curious case began on Tuesday evening when a Stroudsburg resident phoned the Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center with a rather unusual report of a possible alligator lurking in their neighborhood. "As ludicrous as that sounds, stranger things have happened in the Poconos, so we took the call seriously," the group wrote on social media, noting that the caller provided photos of the odd interloper, which added some credence to their claim.
Upon arriving on the scene, the group "found distinct prints in the snow" that a reptile expert suggested were left behind by an adult blue tegu, a species of lizard native to South America that likely wound up in the Poconos after escaping from a home where it was kept as an exotic pet. Given the inhospitable conditions of the snow-covered region, wildlife rescue groups expressed concern that the creature would not survive very long in the wild and launched a search for the animal. Alas, their efforts came up short as the suspected tegu was nowhere to be found. One possible explanation for the failed search came from herpetologist Rudy Arceo, who argued that the mystery creature was not a reptile at all.
Likening the largely indecipherable picture of the animal to a UFO photo, the scientist expressed skepticism that the creature was tegu or an alligator, as "these animals don't do well in cold temperatures." As such, he said, "the witness statements, the photograph, I just count the tracks in the snow, and a lot of us agree with it being a possum." Meanwhile, the Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center seemed doubtful of Arceo's explanation, citing area residents who claimed to have seen the reptilian creature over the last few weeks and positing that the prints in the snow may have been confused for a possum due to melting. What do you think was spotted roaming around the Poconos? Weigh in with your best guess at the C2C Facebook page.