A large alligator found wandering in a shopping center met its match in the form of a female alligator wrangler.
Christy Kroboth, a 30-year old licensed professional alligator trapper, working for the Gator Squad in the state, captured the huge alligator dubbed as "Godzilla" found outside a shopping center in Houston, Texas. Kroboth, a full time dentist, was called in to restrain the animal.
"I try to be sweet to these guys," joked Kroboth regarding the experience. "He wasn't too sweet to me but I'll forgive him for that."
Kroboth believed that the animal may have come from a nearby creek and wandered over to the plaza after losing its way.
Godzilla was first found by employees coming to work early Sunday. Kroboth received the phone call alerting her about the gator at 6:20 in the morning.
She was informed at the time that it was seven feet long and was last seen in the parking lot of the First Colony Commons Shopping Center in Sugar Land. Kroboth initially thought that the capture was going to be routine, ending with her securing the gator at the back of her SUV.
That was, until she saw the size of her quarry.
The 50 year old alligator was nearly twice the length initially reported to Kroboth. At 13 feet and weighing nearly 1,000 pounds, a forklift was needed to carry the animal once it was captured. Kroboth thought that it may be the biggest alligator to be ever caught in the state.
Godzilla, who was blind in one eye and had part of its tail missing, was brought to an alligator reserve for its own safety, where Kroboth hopes the creature will live a long, happy life.
"He might be able to see only shadows, so he probably got lost and ended up in the parking lot," said Kroboth, adding that Godzilla may have been scared, laid down and needed help.
On a light hearted note, Kroboth found it amusing that people are usually surprised whenever a woman like her would report for alligator wrangling duty.
"Nobody thinks I'm the trapper when I show up," said Kroboth. She was often asked by others if she was really up for the job. But being one of the few female professional alligator wranglers from Houston, Kroboth has proven herself after accomplishing many alligator captures since gaining her license from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
She credits her love for animals as her motivation for wanting to become an alligator trapper, hoping to give people a different perspective on alligators and other animals once they see her on the job.
