A HERO’S JOURNEY

Alligator Swimming in Chicago Lagoon Caught After Weeklong Search

The director of Chicago Animal Care and Control said “Chance the Snapper” appeared to be in fine health.

An alligator in Chicago’s Humboldt Park Lagoon evaded authorities for a week, before finally succumbing to trapper Frank Robb. The animal, dubbed “Chance the Snapper,” spoke a little “crocodilian” when it saw him, said Robb, who had a minor scuffle with the 5-foot-long creature. The animal who had so cleverly evaded capture for seven days was presumed to be a pet someone had abandoned in the lagoon. The director of Chicago Animal Care and Control, Kelley Gandurski, said the gator looked like it was in fine health. Officials are still deciding where the alligator will go next. Robb displayed the alligator at a news conference Tuesday morning, telling the crowd, “Everybody’s got different blessings, this is mine. This is what I’ve spent every day of my life doing for the last 24 years.”

The lagoon is safe once more, free of the alligator who became a national phenomenon and inspired a wave of social media posts.