Many people in the Chicagoland area are quite fascinated with the discovery of a 5-foot-3 male gator in a local park lagoon. The alligator has been nicknamed “Chance the Snapper" and has been the star of local news and social media memes.
Chance has been accepted by the public in a very joking manner. Searching the hashtag “#ChanceTheSnapper" will show art, buttons, cookies, t-shirts and more made in his honor.
The alligator is speculated to have been dumped into the lagoon by a previous owner because alligators are not native to this part of the country. Although there has been a lot of talk about 'gator hunting', little has been said about hunting for the people that put the public at risk for doing this.
Humboldt Park, where Chance was abandoned, is a popular hangout for young children. There are two or three playgrounds just a few yards from the lagoon.
I recently took my infant son on a walk through this park and along the outskirts of the lagoon. What had attracted me was the amount of toddlers and preschool children roaming the park. Not only does it have multiple playgrounds, it has a water park area where children could splash literal feet away from the lagoon. I assumed it must be a great place for kids. I was completely unaware that I was putting my life and my son's life at risk.
A few days before the alligator's presence was discovered, I brought my baby on a walk with me along the lagoon. Hannah Mitchell
It is really upsetting that the person who dumped this poor alligator into the lagoon put all those children at risk. The lagoon is quite shallow and curious children looking in to see fish is a common sight. These children and their parents unknowingly thought the lagoon was safe but were risking their lives.
As I look at the photograph that my son and I shared, it makes me sick. I had no idea the risk I was taking to snap this photo.
Luckily, no one was injured and the entire park was blocked off by police as people attempted to capture Chance.
Regardless of the happy ending, Chance's previous owner should be held responsible. I hope to see in the near future that Chicago police are actively pursuing finding the person responsible. The monster is not the innocent alligator dumped in a foreign lagoon. The real monster is the person who dumped an alligator in a popular children's park because Chance was no longer convenient to him.
