ROCK-STAR ALLIGATOR REGGIE CHOMPS ON CHICKEN AS ZOO MULLS PERMANENCY.Byline: BRENT HOPKINS Staff Writer GRIFFITH PARK Griffith Park is a large public park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains. It is situated in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park covers 4,210 acres (17 km²) of land, making it one of the largest urban parks in North America. -- Forget Paris. Lindsay who? The hottest smile in town belongs to an elusive celebrity who loves the water and has a taste for chicken. A day after he was nabbed Thursday while sunbathing near Machado Lake, Reggie the alligator alligator, large aquatic reptile of the genus Alligator, in the same order as the crocodile. There are two species—a large type found in the S United States and a small type found in E China. Alligators differ from crocodiles in several ways. found himself the talk of the town. The reptile recluse, 6 feet 6 inches long, 140 pounds and blessed with an immense array of gleaming pearly whites, captivated cap·ti·vate tr.v. cap·ti·vat·ed, cap·ti·vat·ing, cap·ti·vates 1. To attract and hold by charm, beauty, or excellence. See Synonyms at charm. 2. Archaic To capture. the nation with his two years of exploits cruising the Harbor City lake. After he was carted in, shackled with duct tape and blindfolded blind·fold tr.v. blind·fold·ed, blind·fold·ing, blind·folds 1. To cover the eyes of with or as if with a bandage. 2. To prevent from seeing and especially from comprehending. n. 1. , the scaly scal·y adj. 1. Covered or partially covered with scales. 2. Shedding scales or flakes; flaking. scaly skin condition characterized by scales; scalelike. celeb ce·leb n. Informal A celebrity. was romping behind closed doors Friday at the Los Angeles Zoo's quarantine area. He'll live the lush life there, dining on chicken and fish between dips in the pool, for at least another 30 days as keepers figure out what to do with their prized catch. Senior animal keeper Ian Recchio of the zoo's reptile department recalled the dramatic scene Thursday when he and a crew of park workers pounced upon the struggling, hissing crocodilian. "I was thinking, 'This is Reggie. We've got to get him. We can't let this opportunity pass us by,'" Recchio recounted. "It's like shooting a free throw to win the championship." Recchio sank that proverbial free throw, a team transported the subdued submariner sub·ma·rin·er n. A member of the crew of a submarine. Noun 1. submariner - a member of the crew of a submarine crew - the men and women who man a vehicle (ship, aircraft, etc. to the zoo and Reggie made the evening news and the headlines. On Friday, there was no greater gator. "Reg-gie, Reg-gie, Reg-gie!" chanted Michael Levine, an author and expert on all things Hollywood. "We're living in wacky times, so that helps create diversions like this. ... Reggie the alligator, Paris Hilton's Chihuahua, things like that create a wonderful antidote to a national panic disorder Panic Disorder Definition A panic attack is a sudden, intense experience of fear coupled with an overwhelming feeling of danger, accompanied by physical symptoms of anxiety, such as a pounding heart, sweating, and rapid breathing. ." Famous and popular as he is, Reggie faces a problem with his new digs -- eight roommates who aren't up for another lodger An occupant of a portion of a dwelling, such as a hotel or boardinghouse, who has mere use of the premises without actual or exclusive possession thereof. Anyone who lives or stays in part of a building that is operated by another and who does not have control over the rooms therein. in their home. Recchio determined that the zoo's present complement of alligators -- six Americans and two of the Chinese variety -- would be unsuitable to bunk with the new kid. As the reptile relaxes in quarantine, Recchio and the other keepers will determine whether they can accommodate him. "With Reggie's fame, I'd bet they'll try to keep him," said Jay Young, a wrestler and proprietor of Colorado Gators, an alligator rescue facility in Mosca, Colo., who briefly engaged in an earlier hunt. "They'd be silly not to -- he's the most famous alligator in the world, so they'll probably try to find a way to set him up there. But if not, hey, we'd be happy to take him." With Ruby the elephant recently retired to a sanctuary in Northern California, the zoo could use another marquee name to attract interest. The only trouble is, that interest doesn't necessarily mean more people come and buy tickets. At the San Diego Zoo San Diego Zoo One of the world's largest collections of mammals, birds, and reptiles, located in San Diego, Calif., and administered by the Zoological Society of San Diego. The 100-acre (40. , letters still come trickling in for Hua Mei, the rock-star panda baby born in 1999 -- and she moved to China in 2004. The black-and-white fuzz ball won San Diego Person of the Year in a contest several years ago, but Public Relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most Manager Christina Simmons said zoo attendance didn't increase as expected. "When they have a name, a history, a story, if they've been characterized with people attributes, it raises them to celebrity status," she said. "Animals like that really have a following, but that doesn't mean (the fans) come to the zoo." While Reggie's future remains murky, his turn in the spotlight has won him at least one high-profile supporter. Legendary television host Bob Barker, a noted animal lover who's retiring from "The Price Is Right" next month, praised Reggie and declared him to be "quite a guy." "I think the world of him," Barker said. "Too bad we couldn't have had him on the show, but I suppose he might have wanted to take a bite out of one of Barker's Beauties." brent.hopkins(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3738 CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Reggie the alligator, who eluded capture in Machado Lake for nearly two years, seems right at home at the L.A. Zoo. Los Angeles Zoo The Los Angeles Zoo founded in 1966, is a large zoo located in Los Angeles, California, USA. The Zoo, located in Los Angeles' Griffith Park, is home to 1,200 animals from around the world. (2 -- color) Fred Dowell, left, with the L.A. Parks Department, and Ian Recchio of the Los Angeles Zoo celebrate after the capture of Reggie the alligator from Machado Lake on Thursday. (3) Trussed up with duct tape, a struggling Reggie the alligator is carried away from Machado Lake in Harbor City on Thursday. Sean Hiller/Staff Photographer |
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