A.M. WELL, THE RESCUE TEAM SAYS A GATOR HAD A BUNGEE CORD WRAPPED AROUND ITS MOUTH WHEN IT WAS FOUND. THAT鈥橲 RIGHT. AND THAT GATOR IS NOW GETTING SOME TLC. WESH 2鈥橲 MICHELLE MEREDITH GOES TO GATORLAND TO SEE HOW IT鈥橲 GETTING SOME HELP. BUNGEE. THE ALLIGATOR GOT HIS NAME IN THE MOST PAINFUL WAY. SOMEONE WRAPPED A BUNGEE CORD AROUND HIS MOUTH. NOW THIS ALL HAPPENED IN GAINESVILLE, AND BY THE TIME HE WAS FOUND, THE COURT HAD SLICED INTO HIS UPPER JAW. LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY MADE A LOOP. PROBABLY TRIED TO CAPTURE HIM ILLEGALLY, AND SOMEHOW THE CORD BROKE OFF AND THIS CORD WAS WRAPPED AROUND HIS JAW. WE DON鈥橳 KNOW HOW LONG. SO IF YOU鈥橰E A GATOR THAT鈥橲 BEEN HURT, NEEDS HELP, NEEDS TO BE RESCUED. WHERE DO YOU GO? WHERE ELSE BUT GATORLAND? THE GATOR DOCS HERE CAREFULLY REMOVED THE BUNGEE CORD, AND NOW HE鈥橲 GOT A BIT OF A SCAR FACE LOOK GOING ON. BUT HE IS PERFECTLY HEALTHY. PERFECTLY FINE. OUR VET CAME IN AND CHECKED HIM OUT. DOCTOR BOGAN AND GAVE HIM THE ALL CLEAR. WE DECIDED TO PUT HIM OUT HERE IN OUR BEAUTIFUL TEN ACRE BREEDING MARSH, WHERE HE CAN LIVE OUT THE REST OF HIS LIFE IN ALLIGATOR PARADISE. WHAT KIND OF IDIOT COULD THINK THEY COULD CATCH AN ALLIGATOR WITH A BUNGEE CORD? HEY, WE LIVE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. YOU GET FLORIDA MAN STORIES ALL THE TIME, SO WHO KNOWS? AS YOU MIGHT RECALL, IT WAS ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO. A LITTLE GIRL NAMED JOLENE BECAME THE DARLING OF GATORLAND. SOMETHING OR SOMEONE SLICED THE TOP OF HER SNOUT OFF JUST BELOW HER EYES. NOW SHE鈥橲 LIVING IN GATOR PARADISE, HANGING OUT WITH HER BEST FRIEND, NELLIE WAFER THE TURTLE. SHE IS DOING VERY EXCELLENT AND SHE IS FEISTY AS ALL. GET OUT! OUR GATOR EXPERT SAYS BUNGEE WILL DO THE SAME. FIND HIS PLACE. GET COMFORTABLE WITH HIS NEW HOME, AND AS ALWAYS IN GATORLAND, HE鈥橪L DO IT WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM HIS PREHISTORIC FRIENDS. REPORTING IN ORANGE COUNTY FROM GATORLAND MICHELLE MEREDITH WESH TWO NEWS. NOW, ALTHOUGH BUNGEE WEIGHS 500 POUNDS AND IT鈥橲 TEN FEET LONG COMPARED TO WHERE HE LIVED IN GAINESVILLE, HE鈥橲 NOW A LITTLE FISH IN A BIG POND AT GATORLAND, AND EXPERTS
Florida park rescues alligator, names him after his wounds
![WESH logo]()
Updated: 1:27 PM CDT Jun 18, 2025
Editorial Standards 鈸�
An alligator with a bungee cord embedded in his jaw is recovering at Gatorland, a theme park and preserve in Orlando, Florida, after what rescuers believe was an illegal and failed capture attempt.The gator, now named Bungee, earned his name in a painful way. Rescuers said it appeared someone had wrapped a bungee cord around his mouth. By the time he was found in Gainesville鈥檚 Paynes Prairie, the cord had sliced into his upper jaw and left a visible mark.Video above: Meet Bungee and other Gatorland residents鈥淚t looks like someone made a loop, probably tried to capture him illegally, and the cord broke off around his jaw,鈥� Brandon Fisher, a Gatorland employee, said. 鈥淲e don't know how long it had been there.鈥滻t took about an hour for Gatorland鈥檚 Captain Ron Sanderson, one of the park鈥檚 most experienced gator trappers, to capture Bungee and remove him safely.The alligator was then examined by Gatorland veterinarian Dr. Bogan and is now receiving care.鈥淗e鈥檚 perfectly healthy, perfectly fine,鈥� Fisher said. 鈥淥ur vet came in and checked him out 鈥� Dr. Bogan 鈥� gave him the all clear, and we decided to release him into our 10-acre marsh, where he can live out the rest of his days in alligator paradise.鈥滸ator experts believe Bungee will adjust, find his place and settle comfortably into his new home.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — An alligator with a bungee cord embedded in his jaw is recovering at Gatorland, a theme park and preserve in Orlando, Florida, after what rescuers believe was an illegal and failed capture attempt.
The gator, now named Bungee, earned his name in a painful way. Rescuers said it appeared someone had wrapped a bungee cord around his mouth. By the time he was found in Gainesville鈥檚 Paynes Prairie, the cord had sliced into his upper jaw and left a visible mark.
Video above: Meet Bungee and other Gatorland residents
鈥淚t looks like someone made a loop, probably tried to capture him illegally, and the cord broke off around his jaw,鈥� Brandon Fisher, a Gatorland employee, said. 鈥淲e don't know how long it had been there.鈥�
It took about an hour for Gatorland鈥檚 Captain Ron Sanderson, one of the park鈥檚 most experienced gator trappers, to capture Bungee and remove him safely.
The alligator was then examined by Gatorland veterinarian Dr. Bogan and is now receiving care.
鈥淗e鈥檚 perfectly healthy, perfectly fine,鈥� Fisher said. 鈥淥ur vet came in and checked him out 鈥� Dr. Bogan 鈥� gave him the all clear, and we decided to release him into our 10-acre marsh, where he can live out the rest of his days in alligator paradise.鈥�
Gator experts believe Bungee will adjust, find his place and settle comfortably into his new home.
