From CNN.COM:

Elusive L.A. alligator nabbed after years on the lam

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) — For months, the city’s most famous reptile eluded paparazzi and faithful fans who gathered at the edge of a park lake to catch a glimpse of the A-list alligator.

But when “Reggie” decided to come out, the gator did it in true Hollywood style: Swarmed by fans and photographers as it sunned by the water, the reptile was whisked away with a police escort as TV helicopters gave chase and broadcast live footage of the cagey critter’s freeway journey to the zoo.

“We were petting him, talking to him,” said City Councilwoman Janice Hahn, whose district includes the park. “I feel like I know him because I’ve invested a lot of time and energy in him.”

The 6½-foot alligator believed to be Reggie, who lurked in Harbor Regional Park’s Lake Machado for two years, was wrestled into captivity Thursday. The wily beast became a celebrity as it eluded would-be wranglers and managed to disappear for 18 months until it recently resurfaced.

Bad timing may have ruined Reggie’s free rein at the lake.

(more here)