You Have A Chance To Adopt A Gator From This Florida Theme Park

Floridians are used to seeing news about an alligator popping up in someone's home or yard, but now that could become a resident's new normal.

Orlando theme park Gatorland has launched a new alligator adoption program, which is part of a larger mission, according to WKMG.

The Gatorland Global Rescue initiative was launched with a mission to protect, conserve and educate about crocodilian species. They record their progress via online videos and vlogs and receive donations from local, national, and overseas supporters.

“We work with conservation programs and crocodilians around the world. India, Cuba, Jamaica and Australia,” Mark McHugh said, President and CEO of Gatorland.

Reporters learned the theme park welcomed its first rescue alligator of the year just last month -- an 11-foot male gator living in an area near the Indian River. Gatorland said the reptile was brought to them after people were illegally feeding them, causing him to lose his natural fear of humans. He was released into the park's eight-acre Alligator Breeding Marsh.

Now, this lucky gator will be the first to be adopted through Gatorland Global's expanded rescue program.

If you're interested in taking in the scaly fella, Gatorland employees are asking the public to post on the Facebook or YouTube page. They will draw a name from all the posts with adoption interests.

"The winner will get to name the alligator, an appropriate family-friendly name, and receive an adoption certificate and free passes to come visit him," reporters wrote. "The winner will need to provide an adoption donation of $500 that will go to fund alligator rescue and conservation work through Gatorland Global."

Gatorland is home to over 2,000 alligators and has rescued hundreds of creatures slated to get euthanized.