Gatorland first rescued this year an 11-foot-3-inch alligator found near the south end of International Drive in Orlando.
The staff calls him Mr. Worldwide, after the “International” part of I-Drive.
He was released into the attraction’s breeding swamp along with dozens of other crocodiles on Saturday.
“Usually they’re tired and they hide out and rest for a few days before they get things started in earnest here,” said Gatorland Global Ambassador Savannah Boan. “But Mr. Worldwide came with a boldness that we rarely see. He was never shy and never tried to hide.”
Gatorland is home to several alligators over 11 feet long, including at least one named Big Kyle, who measures 13 feet, 8 inches.
Gatorland officials say it is impossible to know the age of alligators found in the wild, but Mr. Worldwide is estimated to be about 30 years old.
“Due to breeding season in Florida, alligators are on the move in search of mates, and some are being forced out of their habitat by larger males,” Boan said.
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The Orange County Sheriff’s Office contacted the experienced trapper who delivered Mr. Worldwide to the South Orange Blossom Trail attraction as part of the Gatorland Worldwide Alligator Rescue Program.
“These are wild animals. There’s no script at all,” said Jeff Woolfenden, one of the trappers involved in Mr. Worldwide’s capture. “It’s like a mother dog and her puppies. They have their own minds and wills.”
He said he treats the reptiles as gently as possible.
“We have the equipment and the knowledge and experience to treat these particular alligators with a little respect and honor,” he said.
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Recently, Gatorland has been naming rescue gators after the locations where they were found. Examples include Homey D at the hardware store, Bogie at the golf course, and Turnpike at the highway.
“I know Pitbull is Mr. Worldwide, but I’m saving that name for the ferocious Cuban crocodile!” Boan said in the comments section of a Facebook video of the release.
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