In a surprising development, a reptile expert has claimed on Friday that he believes that New Jersey authorities are searching for an anaconda in the state's largest lake and not for a boa constrictor.

Gerald Andrejcak, the specialist said that officials had asked him not to speak about it as it wold create a panic among the people. He said that there is a panic and he is thus revealing that the authorities are searching for an anaconda

He said that the authorities called it boa, which is technically accurate as snakes are in the same family. The presence of anacondas can raise concerns as it feeds on deer and other large mammals and there is no natural predator.

Andrejack works for Common Sense for Animals and was looking for the animal at Lake Hopatcong in Jefferson Township in the northern part of the state. He said that he believes that it was a green anaconda based on reports relating to snake's behaviour and where it was spotted. He said that he informed a member of the Hopatcong animal control about his assessment but said that he was asked to keep quiet.

Andrejack claimed that he has identified the snake as a 16-foot-long green anaconda, when he saw it by the lake.