ALLENTOWN (AP) - Wildlife experts were called in to help corral an alligator spotted in a canalin Allentown.

Eighteen-year-old Travis Benitez says he saw the 3½-foot reptile Friday afternoon while fishing in the Lehigh Canal in Allentown.Police say they tracked the alligator for hours and had corralled it by Friday evening. Thick seaweed-like grass lining the water combined with the alligator blending in to its surroundings made the rescue mission difficult.The reptile was taken to a preserve in East Stroudsburg on Saturday morning.Wildlife experts say the alligator is a juvenile. Police say the animal isn't native to the area and is likely an unwanted pet.It wasn't immediately known where the alligator came from or how it ended up in the canal.