CONFIRMED: Alligator Found Living in Humboldt Park Lagoon
OutdoorHub Reporters 07.10.19
After multiple reports of an alligator living in Humboldt Park Lagoon, a Chicago Police spokeswoman confirmed the rumors on Twitter Tuesday afternoon.
Chicago police authorities were called to the 1400 block of North Humboldt Drive at around 12:15 p.m. with claims swirling of people spotting an alligator swimming in the lagoon area.
Unusual news day. We’ve rcvd reports of a possible alligator in Humboldt Park lagoon. Weve notified animal control but have not confirmed this is a legitimate call as of yet. Ofc. Michelle Tannehill is responding to give general safety tips should this be a legitimate incident. pic.twitter.com/RKxLEDnShP
— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) July 9, 2019
Police had “independently confirmed the alligator is in the lagoon and state reptile specialists say its between 4-5 feet long. The reptile will be humanely trapped tonight and relocated to a zoo for veterinary evaluation.”
UPDATE – We’ve independently confirmed the alligator is in the lagoon and state reptile specialists say its between 4 and 5 feet long. The reptile will be humanely trapped tonight and relocated to a zoo for veterinary evaluation
— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) July 9, 2019
Officials could not say how the reptile ended up there, but the likely scenario is someone dumped him in the Humboldt Park Lagoon once it got too big.
According to Chicago’s WGNTV, several hands are on deck to help catch the Humboldt gator, including the city’s Animal Care and Control workers, state conservation officers and alligator experts with the “Chicago Herpetological Society”.
It should be noted this process could take several days, even weeks to catch the gator.
