Alligator caught in New Jersey

ELMWOOD, N.J. (WPVI) -- Wildlife officials are trying to figure out what to do with a gator they pulled from a river in North Jersey.

It took all day Wednesday to wrangle the five foot, 40 pound reptile.

The alligator was swimming in the Passaic River in Elmwood, and had the whole community on alert.

Mayor Richard Mola of Elmwood said, "We have a lot of people come here. They put up their little chairs. They fish. Little kids come with their parents. We've had some unusually situations occur in the past but never this."

Officials say the gator was likely a pet that was dumped in the river illegally.

They are looking for a local zoo or education center that would accept it.