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player ready...If you’ve driven or walked by a park in Lake Forest this summer and thought you saw an alligator creeping through the grass, it doesn’t mean you’ve gotten too much sun.
Since late June, the Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm has been bringing animals to Lake Forest parks six times a week. Those animals include turtles, tortoises, lizards, snakes, alligators, crocodiles, amphibians, hawks and owls.
Riley Parrott, animal keeper and educator, says not to worry about alligators in the parks.
“They are young alligators,” Parrott said. “Nothing too crazy. They get a little easier reception than snakes. I think snakes are the least charismatic animals. Alligators, we get the most requests to bring back.”
During good weather it’s been common for 70 to 80 people to show up at any given park, she said. Those crowds are useful.
“Some of our turtles are quite the speedsters,” Parrott said. “They’ll head off in one direction but they are always surrounded by a herd of kids and one of us close behind.”
The Wildlife Discovery Center started bringing animals to the parks of Lake Forest after researching who was visiting, according to Parrott.
“We found we have a high visitation rate from outside Lake Forest,” Parrott said. “We do get Lake Forest visitors, but more from outside. Because we’re in a somewhat remote location in Lake Forest, we wanted to out to the community.
The program runs through Aug. 6. The schedule is:
Monday:
10 – 11:30 a.m. at Everett Park
Noon to 1:30 p.m. at Northcroft Park
Wednesday
10 to 11:30 a.m. at Lake Forest Beach
Noon to 1:30 p.m. at West Park
Thursday:
10 – 11:30 a.m. at South Park
Noon to 1:30 p.m. at Forest Park