ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — An alligator that raised eyebrows and made headlines after appearing in one of Chicago's most popular parks is now living in Florida.
The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park announced on Facebook that Chance the Snapper was on Thursday. With an estimated 1.3 million gators in our state, it's seems only fitting that he comes here and we think it's safe to say he'll fit right in.
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Chance first appeared earlier this month in Chicago's Humboldt Park. Police and animal control spent nearly a week trying to capture the alligator, before bringing in expert Frank Robb from St. Augustine.
Officials say Robb finally caught Chance on Tuesday around 1:30 a.m. Chance weighs in at 30 to 40 pounds and is 5 foot 3 inches long, according to Chicago Animal Care and Control.
"The alligator had captured the imaginations of the city and beyond and has united residents who have been following this story for the last week. The City’s top priority all along has been to keep residents and park visitors safe while facilitating the humane capture of the alligator," animal control wrote on Facebook.
Officials believe he was released into the lagoon by someone who owned him, which is illegal in Illinois.
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Chicago's Animal Care and Control Executive Director Kelley Gandurski said the city deals with one alligator-related incident every year. But, she says it's rare to have to deal with them in the wild.
Chance made his debut in a live event on the St. Augustine park's Facebook around 3 p.m. on Thursday.
