Sighting of alligator swimming off shore of Lake Erie prompts Pennsylvania search

The search is on for a small alligator in Erie, Pennsylvania, after it was caught on video last weekend swimming just off the shore of Lake Erie. Animal rescue specialists have been scouring the area since the first sighting on Sunday. There are reports of possible footprints and other sightings in recent days. It is unclear how the gator ended up in the freshwater lake, but officials suspect it may have been a pet. Authorities say that releasing an alligator, a nonnative species, into the wild is a violation of Pennsylvania law.