Why does it seem as if there is a rise in instances of alligators being spotted wandering through major Midwestern cities? Just yesterday, there were stories out of both Chicago and St. Louis involving stray alligators found wandering around.
In St. Louis City, someone found a three foot long alligator in the Dutchtown neighborhood of the city. Animal Control picked the reptile up and took it to an exotic animal center. Someone has already taken it off their hands.
In Chicago, an even larger alligator was spotted in a popular lagoon in Humboldt Park in the city. Someone spotted the four or five feet long alligator and called police who raced to find it. Once caught, police say the alligator will be humanely caught and taken for examination by the zoo.
In both cases, experts believe the alligators were dumped by people who owned them illegally. It is illegal to own an alligator in the State of Illinois and in the City of St. Louis.