The Sunshine State is known for its beaches, theme parks, and thriving population of Florida gators. These reptiles are an integral part of the state's ecosystem. Many international or out-of-state visitors wonder how big can a gator get and where they can witness them up close. On this blog, we’ll take you on a journey from their small beginnings as hatchlings to how massive these reptiles can become as adults. And, the best part is, you can take what you learn and see Florida gators right here inside our Wild Florida Gator Park.

In Florida, the American alligator is one of the most misunderstood animals. In 2018, we decided to form the ‘Croc Squad’ within our animal care team. Each day, our Croc Squad cares for various crocodilians: caimans, crocodiles, and alligators from all over the world. Along with feeding and cleaning their exhibits, the Croc Squad does daily enrichment training with some of our crocodilians.

At first, it may look like the animals are doing tricks, but the behaviors you see inside our Gator Park help the animals and trainers work together. By keeping the animals engaged – providing mental and physical exercise by teaching them something new – the Croc Squad ultimately creates a safer environment for them and the staff. Learning to ‘hold,’ for example, makes it easier for the team to draw blood to check for illnesses without wrestling or trapping the animal. This is just an example of our Croc Squad’s work at Wild Florida, and you can see more of their training in-person inside our Gator Park.

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