WHITNEY POINT – Reports of an alligator prowling the waters of the Tioughnioga River in Whitney Point have been officially confirmed as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation reports it has caught the critter over the weekend.

The alligator – now residing at Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville following its capture behind the Whitney Point fairgrounds – measures in at just over 3 feet and is believed to have been somebody's pet before it was released into the wild.

Last week, Whitney Point Mayor Ryan Reynolds took to Facebook to acknowledge that the rumors were not a hoax, and he urged the public to notify the DEC and steer clear of the alligator if it was seen.