Starting right now, you can vote for Larry The Alligator from Gatorland® to be the featured Florida animal on a plane of Frontier Airlines. The contest, sponsored by Frontier Airlines and Visit Orlando, will highlight Central Florida animal conservation and provide chances to win free flights.
Larry the Alligator is an amazing story. In early 2019, Larry was a resident of the Villages retirement community in Lake County, Florida. He was very popular with the folks living in the community and even had his own Facebook page where his “fans” would post pictures, stories, and news about him. The residents of The Villages loved Larry but unfortunately some people would illegally feed him, causing Larry to lose his natural fear of humans. Being a 12-foot alligator and weighing 800 lbs., this created the potential for a dangerous clash between Larry, the residents, and their pets. Nuisance alligator trappers working for the state were called to remove Larry, a process that normally results in euthanizing the alligator. Gatorland heard about Larry and worked with the trappers to catch him alive and bring him to Gatorland, which is ALLIGATOR PARADISE. Larry was released in Gatorland’s huge main lake with other alligators and hundreds of birds, fish, and turtles. He has several girlfriends and spends his days sunning on the grassy banks of the lake, eating lots of fresh meat from the keepers and watching all the people that come to the park to see him.
Larry is just one of the many, many success stories surrounding the efforts of Gatorland’s conservation arm, Gatorland Global, with a mission to Protect, Conserve and Educate. Gatorland staff works with researchers and conservationists in South Florida, Jamaica, Cuba, Australia, and India to protect endangered crocodilians and their sensitive habitats. Here at home in Central Florida, Gatorland has worked with trappers for over 10 years to rescue dozens of big alligators destined to be euthanized as nuisance gators, and provide them a “forever home” at the Alligator Capital of the World. These alligators, like Larry, may have just been “in the wrong place at the wrong time,” and are now able to safely live out long, healthy lives in one of Gatorland’s huge lakes with other alligators, birds and turtles, and most of all, an endless supply of great food.
Please vote for Gatorland’s Larry the Alligator and enter to win one of 10 prizes featuring $400 in flights from Frontier Airlines, click here.
Gatorland is a 110-acre theme park combining Old Florida charm with exciting experiences, exhibits, and entertainment. Named Best Non-Theme Park Attraction by the readers of Orlando Magazine in the Best of ORL 2020 Reader Poll and the winner of four awards in Orlando Weekly’s Best of Orlando® 2020 Reader Poll, including Best Place To Show People the Real Orlando, Best Local Big Shot Who’s Not An Elected Official – Gatorland’s Savannah Boan, Best Attraction That’s Not A Theme Park, and Best Zip Line or Ropes Course, Gatorland’s Screamin’ Gator Zip Line. Orlando Weekly Staff Pick also named Gatorland as Best New Theme Park Attraction this year for its Social Distancing Skunk Ape.
Originally opened as a roadside attraction in 1949, the park celebrated its 70th Anniversary in 2019. Today, it provides affordably priced family fun featuring thousands of alligators and crocodiles, breeding marsh with observation tower, free-flight aviary, nature walk, petting zoo, educational wildlife programs, award-winning gift shop, Florida's best train ride, Gator Gully Splash Park, on-site restaurant, and one-of-a-kind shows including Gator Jumparoo, Alligators-Legends of the Swamp, and Up-close Encounters. Popular adventure experiences inside the park include the Screamin’ Gator Zip Line and Stompin’ Gator Off-Road Adventure.
