Here's something you don't often see in the Charles River: an alligator. But over the past few days, walkers along the Esplanade might've done a double-take, wondering for a moment if they'd somehow ended up in Florida – despite the brisk weather.

A small, scaly alligator appeared at the river in Boston this week, despite not being native to New England or legal to keep as a pet in Massachusetts.

Several passersby snapped photos and videos of the lost creature, and the alligator became quite popular on social media .

Wildlife experts, however, were worried the visiting reptile wouldn't be able to withstand the dropping temperatures.

"Alligators cannot survive Massachusetts' cold winters," Dr. Mike Jones, MassWildlife state herpetologist, said in a statement.

On Nov. 12, Joe Kenney

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