Hurricane Aftermath

Post by **jwa1107** » Wed Sep 22, 2004 3:57 pm

Escaped gator Chucky caught in Alabama

(CNN) -- It was man against beast for a three-hour struggle, but in the end, Chucky the alligator was back in custody, five days after escaping from an Alabama zoo during Hurricane Ivan.

Chucky -- 12 feet long and more than 1,000 pounds -- was captured Tuesday night by a team brought in from the Orlando, Florida, theme park Gatorland to track down the huge reptile in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

"By early evening, the team had [its sights] on a smaller alligator to capture when Chucky was spotted lurking in a nearby water hole," Gatorland's Web site said.

Tim Williams, called the dean of gator wrestling at the Florida park, said Chucky put up a fight but eventually was placed in a new enclosure.

The Web site said that the "daredevil team used the cover of night to surprise and outwit the alligator."

Chucky was one of several alligators that escaped from the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo in Gulf Shores when storm surges from Hurricane Ivan demolished the facility Thursday.

Officials had told area residents to be cautious, warning that Chucky has been fed by humans for years and could approach people if he sees them.

"If you're a male -- say 6-foot-5 -- and he wants you, you're his," zoo general manager Kate Raymond said last week.

Some of the other escaped alligators weren't as lucky as Chucky. Authorities shot them so they wouldn't harm humans trying to clean up debris.

The zoo evacuated animals that couldn't swim ahead of the storm.

Chucky has been the main attraction at the zoo for more than a decade. He was brought to the park 14 years ago after being found in a nearby area. Officials said he could be as old as 35.

phantom · Post by **phantom** » Wed Sep 22, 2004 5:09 pm

This is great news for both Chucky and humans. The zoo gets there prize animal back safe and sound and no humans were harmed in the process. Hopefully any other escaped animals can be captured in a similar safe method.

Post by **okapi_07** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 2:39 pm

yeah great news for the gator and everyone in the area

Eagle One · Post by **Eagle One** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 4:38 pm

good new indeed glad to here that situation is taken care of

Capt.Rutlinger · Post by **Capt.Rutlinger** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 1:13 pm

I'm glad to here that the croc is back where he belongs. Are there any other animals still on the loose?

Post by **jwa1107** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 1:58 pm

there may be soon, Hurricane Jeanne is headed towards Florida this weekend!

Post by **okapi_07** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 2:33 pm

im glad i dont live on the coast (well at least for that reason)
i cant imagine working at a zoo and having to worry about animals getting out like that although they did have a gator escape at the zoo where i volunteer some kids at an overnight camp-in where walking past the enclosure and a gator was laying on the blacktop that was still warm from the sun so one of the keepers just picked it up and sort of dragged it over the fence

(they removed the gators and added a some new fences around and above the existing ones)

Post by **jwa1107** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 1:26 pm

there are pictures of the Hurricane devestation to the zoo here...

http://www.alabamagulfcoastzoo.com/Slideshow/index.html

ALSO

If you would like to help with the zoo recovery, donations can be sent to the ZOO IVAN ACCOUNT located at Vision Bank, P.O. Box 4649, Gulf Shores, AL, 36547. For more information, leave a message at (251) 968-5731. The zoo staff will contact you as soon as possible. The Zoo is a 501©3 non-profit Alabama corporation, and your donation will be tax deductible.