ORLANDO, Fla. — Gatorland, the “Alligator Capital of the World,” is making history by honoring its celebrity alligators.
1. The Orlando theme park is celebrating its 100th gator rescue with a brand-new Alligator Walk of Fame experience.
2. Along a boardwalk, celebrity alligators — as well as their backstories — are featured in Hollywood Walk of Fame style so guests can now learn all about their journey, in just a glance. “We go out and we rescue these huge nuisance alligators around the state so that they don’t get euthanized,” said Gatorland Chief Executive Officer Mark McHugh.
3. The Alligator Walk of Fame has nine installments so far, each with the celebrity gator’s story. The park is installing several more.
4. Some examples are Winchester, who was shot with a BB gun. Larry who was "super famous in the Villages," McHugh said. Then, there’s Chester. “He was eating some dogs in Tampa. Some big dogs," McHugh said. "That’s why Chester was nicknamed the Big Dog Eater.”
5. The Walk of Fame is a way to pay tribute to the park’s relationship with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in helping trap and remove gators from areas where they may be deemed a threat to the public. The experience is included with regular park admission.