… City, a haven for birds and native plants. But in the summer of 2005, the lake was a polluted watering hole, encircled with overgrown vegetation and teeming with frogs, birds and carp. , the zoo's reptile curator: canny, omnivorous, adept at … water for a sunbath, and a city lost its mind. CHAOS ENSUES Park employees quickly built a fence around the lake. After that, no one really seemed sure what to do. Curious crowds gathered at the park. The longer Reggie remained on the loose, the … Once at the zoo, Reggie was treated for parasites and placed into quarantine. Tests confirmed the long-held assumption that he was male. A vacant enclosure formerly occupied by flamingos was deemed an ideal alligator habitat. On his first day …