An actual alligator has been on the loose in an Ontario lake for weeks

A search for a totally real, promise-I'm-not-making-this-up alligator on the loose in Lake Erie has entered its fourth week, as crews scramble to locate the rogue reptile off the shore of a U.S. town just 40 kilometres across the lake from Ontario.

The gator getaway in the waters off of Erie, Pennsylvania, has captivated local media for weeks since sightings of the animal in early August.

First spotted Aug. 4 by Erie resident Stina Roach, the small alligator was reported just a few dozen metres offshore.

The local Port Authority even went so far as to restrict swimming in Lake Erie off of East Avenue on Aug. 7 to "ensure the safety of our visitors."

The search has continued for weeks, but the animal has still not been captured.

The American alligator is typically found in a range extending as far north as North Carolina, a state whose northern border is located over 600 kilometres south of where the reptile has been sighted. Based on this and other factors, officials assume that the gator is likely a pet that has escaped or been illegally released into the wild.

If an escaped alligator in a body of water that extends into Ontario scares the living crap out of you, that's entirely fair, but it's probably the alligator you should be concerned about — alone in an inhospitable lake, hundreds of kilometres from its brethren, and with the cold months fast approaching.

A report on the alligator from The Weather Network casts doubt as to whether the animal is capable of surviving the harsh winters of the Great Lakes region.

Reports and video of a young alligator swimming in Lake Erie have people alarmed, but as @KMacTWN finds out, the gator is the one in trouble. pic.twitter.com/59CyiEIZ4D

— The Weather Network (@weathernetwork) August 28, 2024

The alligator has not been spotted since mid-August, but locals continue to flock to the Erie, PA waterfront in hopes of catching a glimpse of the animal.

Local officials have not set any traps and are hoping to catch the alligator using gentler means if possible.

Meanwhile, there have been no confirmed sightings in Ontario waters, though the fact that alligator's last known position was just a few dozen kilometres from the province may give locals pause before cooling off in Lake Erie for these last few weeks of summer.