Not far outside of St Augustine is the famous Alligator Farm. As you would expect in America's oldest city, this is one of America's oldest zoos and dates back to 1893.
Crocodile Dundee would have a field day here. It is the world's only complete collection of all 23 species of crocodiles and their cousins. That's right, there are nearly 2 dozen kinds of alligators scattered over 5 continents.
Luckily, none are native to England.I have to admit this was the first time I balked at an admission price on our trip...$21.95 for me to see some crocs?? It turned out to be worth it because they have some amazing animals on view and it's possible to take some terrific wildlife shots.
We had missed the alligator feeding, but we were told that if we hurried we'd be in time to see the snake show. No thanks. Because it's not just crocs! They have komodo dragons, African vultures, monkeys, macaws and giant tortoises too.Alligators though are the main attraction. The rare species from overseas are kept to one side, while the more common local gators sun themselves in the lagoon or lurk in the swamp.
A boardwalk across the swamp leads to a viewing platform of the herons, egrets, storks and other wading birds that nest out of harm's way.
If you are visiting, be sure to book in advance through this website or print the voucher from this link - either way you'll save $1 off each ticket.
Thanks to the magic of a zoom lens, the alligators looked close enough to touch but were actually a safe distance away.
I hope.
There were several giant tortoises gumming on dried grass, a bit like snacktime at the senior center!
Don't worry, the little guys are kept in a separate pool from the alligators to keep them from becoming a crunchy snack.
Maximo, the largest croc in the park, is kept behind toughened glass. All 15 feet of him.
I hope.
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