ORLANDO, Fla. – Among the over 2,000 alligators that live at Gatorland Orlando, 100 are rescues; of those rescues, a select group has been deemed famous.
As part of its conservation milestone, the “Alligator Capital of the World” is honoring celebrity alligators the park has rescued from certain euthanasia in the last five years, inaugurating a Celebrity Alligator Hall of Fame.
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Since 2002, Gatorland has been working with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in rescuing large alligators that are a danger to the public.
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“We were able to change the wildlife rules to allow Gatorland to purchase large, nuisance alligators from state trappers and give them a ‘forever’ home in our huge lakes,” explained Mark McHugh, president and CEO of Gatorland. “We are so proud to be global leaders in alligator rescues, conservation, education, and safety. Our new Alligator Walk of Fame is a fun way for our guests to see some of the ‘celebrity’ alligators saved through our conservation programs with Gatorland Global”.
Below are the celebrity alligators featured in the Alligator Hall of Fame, as well as their backstories:
Chester the American alligator was rescued in 2002 in Tampa.
Larry was rescued in the Villages in 2019 after a lot of people were feeding him and made him too comfortable with humans. All the trapper had to do was call his name and he walked up to him.
Turnpike, found on the Florida Turnpike in 2020. He lost a leg crossing the highway.
Bogey was found on a Florida golf course in 2020. He added a new meaning to “play your ball where it lies.”
Terminator was found in Fellsmere, Florida, in 2021. He hung out at a boat ramp where people wouldn’t stop feeding him.
Winchester was found wandering backyards in Mulberry, Florida. Trappers noticed he had been shot twice.
Jawlene, with her missing top jaw, was found in Sanford, Florida, after a lady snapped a photo of her that went viral. She beat the odds of survival and is now thriving at Gatorland.
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