Image by Flickr user zackojones Charlie sunning himself outside of his pond

Update November 18:

Charlie and his girlfriend were wrangled up and successfully moved to their temporary pond yesterday in order for crews at the Joint Base Charleston Weapons Station to enlarge and deepen the retention pond they call home.

Charlie, who may very well be pushing 50 years of age, has called the retention pond home for half a century or possibly longer.

According to The Post and Courier, it took eight people to lift the board holding good old Charlie onto the truck bed. Can't believe it? Watch the video.

First reporting:

Charlie the alligator, a decades old resident of the retention-pond behind the gate at the Joint Base Charleston Weapons Station is getting a new home for the winter.

The field around Charlie's pond has been flooding with every rainfall, and the pond needs to be deepened and cleared to accommodate all of the excess water. In order to do so, the 11-foot Charlie and his lady alligator friend will have to be moved.

Ron Russell of Gator Getter Consultants has been called in for the job and here's hoping he does it carefully. Old man Charlie is rumored to have been living in the pond since the early 1950's.

The Post and Courier has the article about Charlie's big move as well as some local legends involving the good old boy. They also have a video of Russell scoping out the hefty gator in his natural environment.