Chicago police spot nearly 5-foot-long alligator swimming in lagoon in popular park
Chicago police spot nearly 5-foot-long alligator swimming in lagoon.
The notorious alligator of the Humboldt Park Lagoon in Chicago has officially been captured — and is reportedly moving to Florida.
The roughly 5-foot alligator, which evaded capture for a week, was apprehended Monday night, Chicago Animal Care and Control Director Kelley Gandurski confirmed. The reptile, a male, was removed from the lagoon after an alligator expert, Frank Robb, of Florida, was hired by city animal control officials.
Speaking to Block Club on Wednesday, Robb said the gator — nicknamed "Chance the Snapper" — will "be living in luxury" at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm.
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“It’s pretty much a five-star resort for crocodilians,” Robb told the publication of the farm. “No harm will ever come to him…He will have zero worries for the rest of his life. He will be on easy street."
Following the gator's capture, the eastern half of Humboldt Park was closed Sunday so Robb, the owner of Crocodilian Specialist Services in St. Augustine, Fla., per the Chicago Tribune, could work to remove the creature.
“Our team was out there all night long for the past two days; this is an amazing capture by Mr. Robb,” said Gandurski, adding Robb “got to work quickly surveying the area” after arriving in the city Sunday evening.
“The Humboldt Park alligator has captured the imaginations of the entire city of Chicago and beyond and has united residents who have been following this story for the last week,” Chicago Animal Care and Control said in a news release, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Prior to its capture, spokeswoman for Chicago Animal Care and Control Jenny Schlueter told FOX32 the mysterious alligator may have been a pet that was released into the wild after getting too big.
“Alligators do not make good pets,” said Gandurski, encouraging residents to adopt a dog or cat instead.
The gator, which Gandurski described as “beautiful and healthy in nature," was captured using “safe and humane” efforts.
Fox News' Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.