A wildlife photographer on the hunt for 'Croczilla' felt 'small and powerless' when she finally came face-to-face with the Everglades’ 14-foot beast

• Wildlife photographer finally caught the Everglades' "Croczilla" on camera after a months-long hunt.
• When she face-to-face with the beast, she realized how "small and powerless" she was in comparison.

Wildlife photographer Kymberly Clark had been hunting for the Everglades' infamous "Croczilla" — rumored to be the largest crocodile in the park — for months, with no luck.

She'd heard stories from park employees that the massive beast sometimes lurked near Nine Mile Pond, a few miles from Florida's southernmost tip.

"I didn't give up hope, but after many visits without seeing Croczilla, my expectations were low," Clark told Insider.

Clark visited the park on Sunday and once again searched for Croczilla among the marshy green ponds under the bright Florida sun.

After finding nothing, she said she turned to leave, "feeling defeated."

But then, just as she was driving away, she spotted her scaley prey.

"I passed the last truck that was hauling kayaks and there it was!" She said. "Croczilla was immediately in front of me basking in the sun with its mouth wide open to regulate its body temperature."

She said she was so excited to see the giant crocodile that she jumped out of her car without even turning it off or closing the door.

"It wasn't until I was standing next to the colossal Croczilla that I realized how small and powerless I was in comparison," Clark said, adding that she stayed at least 20 feet from the creature since crocodiles can lunge six feet from a resting position.

"As I stood in front of him, I was stunned to see Croczilla's length and the size of the head," Clark said. With her zoom lens, she was even able to see some of Croczilla's rotten teeth, behind all its pearly whites.

So what makes Croczilla so special? Unlike your run-of-the-mill Floridian alligator, crocodiles are much rarer in the region — they were once designated as an endangered species, but are now considered a threatened species, according to the National Park Service.

And then, there's the sheer size of Croczilla.

"A 14-foot American Crocodile is about as large as anyone will ever see in the wild," Clark said. "Croczilla could possibly be the largest wild crocodile in Florida."

Crocodiles can grow up to 20 feet in captivity but rarely exceed 14 feet in the wild, according to the National Park Service.

"Looking back at all the times I tried but did not find this enormous crocodile, I have no regrets," Clark said. "In fact, I will continue to look for Croczilla every trip I make to Everglades National Park."

Clark was no stranger to amazing creatures. She had once spotted an 18-foot-long Burmese Python "filled with eggs" and an "elusive" Pine Snake.

"I love the thrill of the hunt and unexpected surprises," Clark said.