'Chance the Snapper' Finally Nabbed in Chicago

American alligator was likely an illegal pet
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 16, 2019 11:46 AM CDT
'Chance the Snapper' Finally Nabbed in Chicago
A person holds an alligator captured in Chicago's Humboldt Park on Tuesday.   (Kelley Gandurski/Chicago Animal Care and Control via AP)

It took a week, but "Chance the Snapper" is finally out of Chicago's Humboldt Park Lagoon. Chicago police confirm to CNN that the 4- to 5-foot-long American alligator was caught sometime between Monday night and Tuesday morning by Florida alligator expert Frank Robb. Surprisingly, Robb used a fishing rod to catch the creature, reports NPR. "One cast and done," says Robb, who became a celebrity of sorts in the city during hunt. He used a strong line, and the hook snagged the animal's tail.

City officials believe the animal was an illegal pet, as a resident suggested early on. Animal Care and Control Executive Director Kelley Gandurski previously said the gator, spotted by a photographer early on July 9, would be "moved to a permanent home in an appropriate location." The city had closed part of the park near the lagoon, and Robb spotted Chance "kind of hiding in the lily pads," says a city official. (Read more Chicago stories.)

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