A tiny alligator, presumably dumped by someone who couldn't care for it anymore, was rescued from the banks of the Charles River in Boston earlier this week.

Named Charles, the American alligator was rescued from the "cold water" on Wednesday night, Nov. 12, and was taken to the New England Wildlife Center in South Weymouth, about 18 miles south, the facility said in a post on social media.

Upon examination, the nonprofit wildlife center's veterinarians determined Charles has an upper respiratory infection, and he is now undergoing treatment with antibiotics in a "warm, safe place." Nina Flaherty, a spokesperson for the wildlife center, told USA TODAY that Charles will be administered antibiotics via injections every three days over the next 30 days.

Director of Educational and Medical Programs Dr. Greg Martz told USA TODAY that the alligator, assumed to be around 3 years old, weighed 9.7 ounces when it was rescued and was about 18 inches long. The reptile's gender is not yet known, with Martz saying the alligator would need to grow to at least 3 feet before the gender could be determined.

"He's a little guy, a tiny little guy," Martz said.

Alligator couldn't have come to Boston 'naturally'

The wildlife center, in its post, said, "Alligators don’t belong in New England, and it’s likely Charles was released by someone who couldn’t care for him anymore." It is illegal to privately own an alligator as a pet in Massachusetts under state law.

Martz echoed the same saying, he couldn't "imagine a scenario where it got here naturally." However, he added, the animal's arrival also could've been accidental. He explained the alligator might have somehow gotten into a shipment that "ended up here, and somebody was like, 'I don't know what to do with it,' and just tossed it in a river."

"I have seen, over the years, a bunch of animals that have gotten shipped here by accident," Martz said. "Everything from snakes to frogs, and even armadillos, (which) have been in the back of a semi-trailer and they have (somehow) trucked north."

Martz said the alligator had been spotted by multiple people over the past several days, but it was Joe Kenney of Joe's Crazzy Critters, a Massachusetts-based education organization specializing in exotic animal shows, who eventually rescued the animal from the river.

After undergoing medical examination at the wildlife center, Charles is now with Kenney, who will be his caretaker, Martz said. Kenney is also an animal control officer and wildlife rehabilitator who has permits to handle reptiles, along with having a lot of experience with alligators.

"Joe works with us fairly closely, so he'll keep us in the loop (on) whether he's getting better or not," Martz said.

Passerby sees Charles 'moonwalking'

Before his rescue, the tiny alligator was spotted on the banks of the Charles River by a passerby, Trevor Rochelle, on Nov. 9.

Rochelle, who recorded the animal sitting among the fall leaves on the banks, told ARK Media he gently nudged the animal to see if it was alive, causing it to "moonwalk" back into the murky water.

Rochelle said he immediately alerted the Massachusetts Wildlife Department in hopes of a safe rescue.

The center, in its post, encouraged pet owners to contact the facility if they ever find themselves unable to care for their pets so they can "find a humane solution."

"Never release a pet into the wild," the wildlife center said.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch tiny 'moonwalking' alligator be rescued from Boston's Charles River

Reporting by Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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