Alligator swimming in Chicago lagoon captured

The notorious alligator of the Humboldt Park Lagoon in Chicago has officially been captured.

The roughly 5-foot-long alligator, which evaded capture for a week, was apprehended Monday night, Chicago Animal Care and Control Director Kelley Gandurski said at a Tuesday morning news conference.

The reptile, which was featured at the news conference, was removed from the lagoon after an alligator expert, Frank Robb, of Florida, was hired by city animal control officials.

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 — was able to 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.

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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 is “beautiful and healthy in nature," Gandurski added, was captured using “safe and humane” efforts.

The reptile will remain at Chicago Animal Care and Control until he can be relocated to an alligator sanctuary.

Source: Fox News

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