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Amusement Parks: Gatorama – a Potted History

Gatorama is an alligator park attraction which is located in Palmdale in Glades County, Florida.

The alligator park was opened back in 1957 and is said to be one of Florida’s first alligator park attractions and it is also reputed to be the world’s largest alligator ‘farm’.

The alligator park is owned and managed by Patty and Allen Register along with their son, Benjamin and even though the alligator park is right on the edge of civilisation as we know it, deep in the Everglades, it is still one of the original and few roadside attractions remaining of its type.

Literally thousands of alligators and crocodiles reside at the park but they are not the only creatures you’ll see. The alligator park is also home to bobcats, panthers, monkeys, birds and other Florida species. 

As well as looking at the alligators and crocodiles, the alligator park gives you the opportunity to actually have your photo taken holding a real live alligator.  The alligator park features two ‘shows’ each day ( just the one on Sunday), where you can act as a keeper and get to feed one of the alligators as part of the show.

In addition to the attractions at the alligator park, the Register family have also turned the park into a worldwide business enterprise exporting raw, finished and added value products, including hides, to customers and wholesalers all over the world.

Food lovers can sample gator tail and ribs and Patty Register even makes her own Gator Gumbo which is supposed to be delicious. In fact, the Registers were the first pioneers to use the internet to ship farm raised alligator tail and ribs.

One of the most popular annual attractions at the alligator park is the alligator hatching season where, for a small additional charge, you can even hold an alligator egg and watch it hatch a brand new baby alligator. 

See also:
Zoos: The Sequoia Park Zoo – a Potted History
Amusement Parks: Rotary Storyland and Playland – a Potted History
Amusement Park: Wild Water Adventure Park – a Potted History
Zoos: Oakland Zoo – a Potted History

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