Gator Watch: 'Chance The Snapper' Closes Half Of Humboldt Park

CHICAGO, IL — As the search for the Humboldt Park alligator continues, Mayor Lori Lightfoot found cause to step in and close essentially the whole east side of the park, according to reports.

"The reptile will be humanely trapped tonight and relocated to a zoo for a veterinary evaluation," police spokesman Anthony Gugliemi said Tuesday, July 9, in a tweet. But as of Monday morning, the gator — who now has his or her own social media accounts — was still evading authorities.

Experts believe the gator, dubbed "Chance the Snapper," was most likely abandoned by its owner after becoming too big, ABC7 reported. It measures between four and five feet, reports say.

Chicago's own Chance the Rapper found out Wednesday about his namesake gator.

The Chicago Park District released an advisory outlining a how-to guide for dealing with gators. Mostly, the point is to stay away:

• Stay away from the edge the lagoon, even the grassy area, as alligators are often near the edge of the water
• If you see the alligator, stay at least 30 feet away and back away slowly
• See the full list of alligator safety advice here

Here's a piece of advice from a Florida Patch on how to deal with gators.

See more on Patch:

• Gator Watch: Search For Lagoon Alligator Enters 3rd Day
• Chicago's Resident Gator Is On Social Media And It's Hilarious
• Patch Exclusive: Interview With Humboldt Park Gator
• Close Encounters During Gator Mating Season; Here's What To Do

Authorities called in a gator expert from Florida to consult as they search for Chance, the ABC7 report said.

The animal — likely dumped there by someone recently — wouldn't be the first alligator to be found in an Illinois body of water.

In June 2008, a five-foot alligator was found in the Chicago River. A month later, a slightly smaller gator was found and trapped in Plainfield's Lake Renwick. That gator, lured into a humane trap with some store-bought chicken, was believed to be someone's illegally acquired pet and didn't appear afraid to approach humans.

In 2010, another alligator was found in the Chicago River, this time in the north branch.

More recently last October, a kayaker found a four-foot-long gator swimming in Lake Michigan's Waukegan Harbor. The gator was swimming through the chilly water with its mouth bound shut with rubber bands. Initially met with skepticism, the kayaker took a video for proof and called 911.