The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park is one of Florida's oldest continuously running attractions, having opened on May 20, 1893.Virtual Views at OldCity.com It has 24 species of crocodilians, and also a variety of other reptiles, mammals and birds, as well as exhibits, animal performances and educational demonstrations.
History The park began in 1893 on St. Augustine Beach as a minor attraction at the end of a railway running through neighboring Anastasia Island. The alligators were added at first to get visitors to buy souvenirs and see the museum there. Soon, the reptiles themselves became the main point of interest.
Growing in popularity, the park moved to its current location in the early 1920s. The park changed owners in the 1930s, and, after a devastating fire, they started reconstruction and expansion of the facilities. In 1993, for their 100-year anniversary, the park became the first place in the world to display every species of crocodilian.
In 2008, the zoo opened a new Komodo dragon facility that also exhibits lizards and snakes found within Southeast Asia.
National historic status On September 10, 1992, the Alligator Farm was designated a U.S. Historic District. As such, it was referred to as the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Historic District. According to the National Register of Historic Places, it covers less than , and contains one building and one structure.
Collection Historically, the Alligator Farm was one of the first institutions where one can see every species of alligator, crocodile, caiman, and gharial. Over the years, the zoo has expanded their collection to include mammals, birds, and other reptiles.
The farm is also home to Chance the Snapper, an American alligator.
Mammals Bearded emperor tamarin Black-and-white ruffed lemur Cotton-top tamarin Hoffmann's two-toed sloth Red ruffed lemur Red-rumped agouti Ring-tailed lemur
Birds Bahama pintail Bali myna Black crowned crane Blue-and-gold macaw Blue-billed curassow Bornean crested fireback Cabot's tragopan Cape vulture Coscoroba swan Edwards's pheasant Golden conure Hooded vulture Keel-billed toucan Laughing kookaburra Mallard Marabou stork Scarlet macaw Redhead Ruddy duck Southern cassowary Sunbittern Von der Decken's hornbill White-crested laughingthrush White-headed vulture Wood duck
Reptiles (crocodilians) American alligator (both normal and albino) American crocodile Black caiman Broad-snouted caiman Chinese alligator Cuban crocodile Cuvier's dwarf caiman Dwarf crocodile Freshwater crocodile Gharial Hall's crocodile Morelet's crocodile Mugger crocodile Nile crocodile Orinoco crocodile Philippine crocodile Saltwater crocodile Siamese crocodile Smooth-fronted caiman Spectacled caiman Tomistoma West African crocodile West African slender-snouted crocodile Yacare caiman
Reptiles (other) Alligator snapping turtle Arrau river turtle Asian mountain tortoise Big-headed turtle Blood python Carpet python Chicken turtle Corn snake Eastern diamondback rattlesnake Eastern indigo snake Eastern rat snake Emerald tree skink Florida box turtle Florida cooter Florida cottonmouth Florida red-bellied turtle Gopher tortoise Green tree python Komodo dragon Galapagos giant tortoise Macquarie river turtle Malaysian giant turtle Mangrove snake McGregor's pit viper New Caledonian giant gecko Northern white-lipped python Pygmy rattlesnake Radiated tortoise Red-tailed rat snake Reeves' turtle Reticulated python Tokay gecko Southeast Asian box turtle Timor python Wood turtle Yellow-bellied slider Yellow-footed tortoise Yellow-spotted river turtle
Rookery The back section of the park contains a large bird rookery, where free-roaming local bird species such as egrets, herons, wood storks and roseate spoonbills nest and rear their young.
Affiliations The park is a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and the Florida Attraction Association.
See also
Alligator farm Gomek
Notes
External links