As first reported by The Livingston Post, a visitor to Kensington Metropark alerted park authorities that they saw an alligator in Kent Lake, which the park surrounds. Kensington is part of the Huron-Clinton Metroparks system.
There has been just the single report of an alligator sighting in the lake.
Editor’s note: After a search, authorities could find no evidence of an alligator. Read the story here.
“Out of an abundance of caution, and for visitor safety, we have posted signage around the lake to notify visitors of this possibility and to contact Metroparks Police if this alligator is sighted,” said Danielle Mauter, chief of marketing and communications for the park, in a statement.
Mauter said a park visitor on the shoreline of Kent Lake observed what they believed to be an alligator, reportedly about 4-feet long. While she wasn’t sure exactly when the sighting was reported, Mauter said the report was made this week.
“Alligators are not native to Michigan, so if this sighting is real, it is most likely the result of someone releasing a pet alligator into the lake,” she said. “We ask visitors to use caution and not approach the animal if it is spotted, and to instead call the Metroparks Police” at (810) 227-8910.
If there is an alligator that was a pet whose owner released it into Kent Lake, it may possibly approach people looking for food.
Kent Lake is a 1,200-acre lake inside Kensington Metropark, which is part of the Huron-Clinton Metroparks system. The park is located just north of I-96 between Milford and South Lyon with an entrance just off the Kensington Road exit. The park surrounds Kent Lake, which is known for its fishing, and which has a couple beaches, as well as a popular 8.5-mile loop trail popular for walking, biking and running; leashed dogs are also welcome on the loop.
