The Division of Wildlife Resources caught a 3-foot-long American gator on July 1, after a family of fishers reported the unusual spectacle.

"The kids saw it, and it took them a while to convince their parents," said Pam Wheeler, who had never handled a 'gator but helped to corral this sharp-toothed visitor to Grandpa's Pond with a net and some duct tape.

"Then it took the parents a while to convince who they called that there really was a 'gator there," Wheeler added. "Occasionally people think they saw something, or they report tracks, but we've never confirmed one until now."

Wheeler said the highly unusual capture was the only gator either she or her coworkers had ever seen in the area. She noted that officials do often find discarded pet turtles, tortoises, large frogs or exotic fish in the area.

And like those pets, Wheeler speculated someone might have been keeping the alligator as a pet, but then it outgrew its welcome.

"The [owner] probably thought they'd be kind by letting it go in a public pond," Wheeler said, adding that the gator could have caused bigger problems if it went unnoticed, since the reptiles average around 10 to 12 feet.

It is illegal to collect animals, like gators, from the wild, said Wheeler, who speculated that someone could have picked up the gator as a baby and brought it into Utah from Florida.

Lt. Scott Dalebout with Utah's Division of Wildlife Resources southern regional office said there have been problems with online sales of similar wild animals has been problematic in the past. Any punishments would depend on the severity and quantity of the crime, but people can be punished with fines, and even federal charges if they move the animal across state lines.

Officials took the gator to the Division of Wildlife Resources Cedar City office, where they decided to euthanize the alligator.

Said Wheeler: "It's pretty difficult to find a place for an animal like this. When it's going to be getting big and dangerous, it's not very likely we'll find a place."