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A 13-foot alligator, weighing nearly 1,000 pounds, was caught Wednesday in Oviedo.
Licensed trapper Jerry Flynn, who was hired by state wildlife officials, caught the massive gator in the Econ River at Riverside Park after a woman was concerned that the gator was too close to her dog.
"Well, we saw his head and we could tell by the size of his head that he was a rather large gator," Flynn said.
Flynn said it took three people and over six hours to bait and catch the large gator.
"We couldn't actually see him. We were just working by the feel of him wrapped around all these stumps and roots," Flynn said.
The gator was classified as a nuisance gator, meaning that it showed little fear toward humans.
"Not showing any fear of humans, and coming toward us and taking the bait very quickly like he possibly may have been fed in the past," Flynn said.
Some residents told Channel 9 that they, and their dogs, have swam in the river before despite warning signs saying not to.
"It's a little scary knowing I have swam in these waters and that they are so big, so mean in there. I guess I'm a little scared now to be here," resident Shelby McGoun said.
Flynn said he has a permit to take two gators from the river, and another trap has been set.
The Oviedo recreation manager said they removed a gator from the park last year that was about 12 1/2 feet long.
