Gatorama is an alligator farm and visitor attraction in

Palmdale, Florida Palmdale is an unincorporated community in Glades County, Florida, United States, located on US 27 just north of the junction with State Road 29. Originally part of DeSoto County, Palmdale's land was pioneered by Florida Fruit Farm Corporation ...

, USA.

Alligator An alligator is a large reptile in the Crocodilia order in the genus ''Alligator'' of the family Alligatoridae. The two extant species are the American alligator (''A. mississippiensis'') and the Chinese alligator (''A. sinensis''). Additiona ...

s and

crocodile Crocodiles (family (biology), family Crocodylidae) or true crocodiles are large semiaquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. The term crocodile is sometimes used even more loosely to inclu ...

s are raised on the farm for meat and skins. Gatorama is one of Florida's oldest

roadside attractions Roadside Attractions is an American production company and film distributor based in Los Angeles, California, founded on July 27, 2000, by Howard Cohen and Eric d’Arbeloff, specializing largely in independent films. Lionsgate Lions Gate ...

. Only six alligator farms are open to the public as attractions.

History

Cecil Clemons opened the farm in 1957. The alligators were captured locally in the 1960s. Wild crocodiles were caught in Jamaica in 1967-1968. Allen and Patty Register acquired the property in 2006.

Attractions

Visitors can hold baby alligators as well as pythons. Adult participants can perform the "Fast Hands Challenge" to feed an adult alligator. The daily feed show is free with admission, where guests can watch keepers hand feed alligators from the front bridge. Gatorama has an exhibit dedicated to the critically endangered subspecies

Orinoco crocodile The Orinoco crocodile (''Crocodylus intermedius'') is a critically endangered crocodile. Its population is very small, and they can only be found in the Orinoco river basin in Colombia and Venezuela. Extensively hunted for their skins in the 19 ...

(''Crocodylus intermedius''). The park works with Florida Fish and Wildlife's Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) program to rehome nuisance alligators. Gatorama also features other native Florida wildlife such as the

Florida panther The Florida panther is a North American cougar (''P. c. couguar'') population in South Florida. It lives in pinelands, tropical hardwood hammocks, and mixed freshwater swamp forests. It is known under a number of common names including Costa R ...

, bobcats, racoons, birds, and snakes. In late August, Gatorama hosts an annual Gator Hatchling Festival where visitors can hold an alligator egg while it hatches. Gatorama also sells exotic meat at the park and on their website.

References

External links

Official website
{{authority control Tourist attractions in Glades County, Florida Zoos in Florida Roadside attractions in Florida