Snake in the Lake?

It may not be a great white shark, but something big has residents in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey wary of the water.

Over the past few days, several people have reportedly spotted a large creature swimming in Silver Lake.

Point Pleasant’s animal control officer Jack Neary aka "Muskrat Jack" checked the lake himself after receiving several calls from residents. That's when Jack spotted the creature, which he believes is a snake.

"At first I sort of doubted everything," said Muskrat.

"Then I got my binoculars out and took a look at it and it's definitely, absolutely a snake. It was probably every bit of 15 feet."

Muskrat believes that the snake is a pet python that either escaped or was let go by its owner.

"There's a big black market for these guys. What happens is people either lose them and don't report them because they don't have the necessary permits or the snake becomes too much to manage so they just let it go."

While Muskrat warns residents who spot the creature not to touch it or get near it, he also says that there's no reason to panic.

"They're relatively docile. Don't panic. If you happen to get an eyeball on this guy, just leave it alone and call the police."

If you spot the creature or anything mysterious at Silver Lake, don't try to catch it yourself. Call the Silver Lake police at 732-892-0500. They'll contact Muskrat Jack and he'll handle the rest.

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