Reggie the alligator, who was finally captured from Harbor City's Lake Machado in May, was met by nearly 150 fans at his debut Thursday, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday.

Reggie was lowered into his new habitat by about a dozen firefighters and zookeepers. After a towel was unwrapped from his eyes and a restraint was taken from his jaw, he chose a hiding spot behind a large rock to wait out the crowd.

"He's kind of skittish, a little standoffish and doesn't know if he's been released into a safe environment," said Ian Recchio, one of Reggie's handlers. "He tends to hiss a lot."

Zoo officials said the 7 1/2-foot long reptile eats a healthy diet -- three pounds of raw meat once a week -- and hasn't shown any signs of infection by parasites that often afflict alligators. Reggie was allegedly released by owners who thought he had grown too big, the newspaper said

"He caught everyone's attention and fantasy and affection," said Harbor City Councilwoman Janice Hahn.

"If he'd surfaced in Florida, it would have been like seeing an average dog. But here, in the land of stars and celebrities, it has been a phenomenon."