MIAMI – A deadly young Nile crocodile has been captured alive in Everglades National Park.
Wildlife officials say the crocodile they caught Sunday has eluded them for nearly two years.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Jorge Pino says they believe the 5 1/2-foot croc may have escaped from a facility in Miami-Dade County.
Two other missing crocs were captured in 2009 and 2012. He says they're looking at DNA to confirm their suspicions.
The croc weighed about 37 pounds. The Nile crocs can grow up to 17 feet, some three feet longer than the Florida crocodile. Officials say they are also far more deadly.
The Miami Herald reports the croc was taken to the Everglades Alligator farm in Homestead, where it will remain while officials determine its fate.