A wildlife photographer got the shock of his life Monday when he snapped a picture of a toothy, one- to two-metre long reptile swimming in a Hamilton pond. “When I first saw it, I just thought it was a stupid stick sticking up,” said Tom Badeau, the man who discovered the animal. “I’m trying to figure out who in the heck could be that dumb to put it in that pond.” Conservation authorities are now working with Bry Loyst, the curator of the Indian River Reptile Zoo, to trap the animal identified as crocodilian, which means it could be any number of 23 species of crocodiles and alligators. “All you need is a boat and some ropes,” says Loyst. “We might have to wait until nighttime. Their eyes shine really bright. It’s easier for locating.” He also says the croc, which is believed to have been someone’s pet, isn’t of any threat to people—they only feed when the water is above 18 C.