On Sunday night, an alligator initially estimated to be greater than 12' and over 800 pounds was struck and killed by a minivan heading west on US 64 near East Lake, North Carolina. Dare County Sheriff's Department and Refuge Law Enforcement Officer Jay Eddy responded to the accident. The alligator was removed from the highway and stored on the refuge for Refuge Biologist Dennis Stewart and NC Wildlife Resources Commission District Biologist Chris Turner to evaluate. The alligator weighed in at approximately 672 pounds and measured 11' 11.75".
Stewart said, "The refuge has no way to confirm this was the large alligator that has been regularly observed in the nearby canal for years during May and early June. It wasn't tagged or marked in any way, so we'll just have to watch and see. This alligator was a male. The age of any alligator is difficult to estimate. A femur was removed that will be examined for an estimation of age at a later time."
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