ORLANDO, Fla. – Gatorland, the “Alligator Capital of the World,” has a few new additions.
What You Need To Know
- Baby alligators have started hatching at Gatorland
- The park says they're the first new gator hatchings of the season
- After they hatch, the baby alligators are about five to six inches long
- They are being kept out of view of the public but will eventually be put in Gatorland's Baby Swamp
The park welcomed its first new American alligator hatchlings of the season, and more are hatching every day.
“We are head over heels in love with our new baby alligators,” Gatorland president and CEO Mark McHugh said in a statement. “It is nothing less than amazing to see them hatch, breaking out of their shells with their little egg tooth and sticking their snouts out.”
Gatorland’s American alligators typically mate from April through June and lay between 35 and 40 eggs in bushy areas near lakes in the park. Gatorland staff then collect the eggs and place them in incubators to ensure safety. The eggs take about 60 to 65 days to hatch.
When they hatch, the baby gators are about five to six inches long, according to Gatorland. They are kept in an area out of public view until they can eat on their own. In about six weeks, they will be put in Gatorland’s Baby Swamp, which is home to other baby gators and turtles.
Gatorland also features exhibits, animal encounters and live shows.
For more information, visit gatorland.com.
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