Alligators in Colorado??   Of course.   Why wouldn’t a high altitude desert have alligators that live in tropical waters?   OK   This is why we have an alligator farm.

Isn’t it funny how things happen?   Start raising fish, have fish parts for disposal, bring in alligators to remedy the problem.   Soon you have a tourist destination for Colorado alligators.   Then other humans had exotic pets like snakes and other reptiles.  Soon humans realize they cannot care for these animals as they grow to adulthood.   What to do now?   Take them to the alligator farm.

Here is an African turtle.   He was abandoned here years ago.   Now there are several African turtles here.  Mom said turtles do not eat little rubber ducks.   Are you sure?   He is coming pretty fast.   But let’s slow down here.   First we park, enter building, pay our fee, and meet the first African turtles.   Before entering the first room, we pet this alligator, he feels like hard rubber.   Now Tom holds the alligator and I, Zeb the Duck, sit on the alligator.

This is fun.   Everybody that enters pets the alligator and gets their photo taken with their camera.   You can purchase the photo or use your own camera and take your own photos.   In the first room, we immediately notice the heat and humidity.   This room has many exotic, tropical animals.

This parrot was very loud, but friendly.   We saw many snakes in cages.   All had been relinquished by their human owners, or rescued after being abandoned.   The alligator farm is becoming a sanctuary.   Remember all this started because some humans wanted to raise fish for human consumption.   Here is a green iguana.

Iguanas live in Central and South America and the male can grow to 6 or 7 feet (1.8-2.1 meters) in length.   Too big for a household pet.   Walking outside there are many alligator areas.   Fences are in place to separate the humans and alligators.   I, Zeb the Duck, am staying on the human side.

These alligators have water available, but seem to be soaking up the autumn sun.

These alligators seems to have an overbite.   I can see many sharp teeth.   I’m staying close to mom.   Here is Elmo the Emu.

Elmo is mean.   He tried to kill his siblings and had to be moved to a separate area.   There is another area with more emu.   Elmo even put his head over his fence to snap at my humans.   Wow.   More distant cousins.

Aren’t these white ducks beautiful and so graceful in the water.   I like this canal or river.

This alligator is leisurely swimming today.   Here are the rare stars of the alligator world.

White alligators are rather rare.   They have only been found in the southeastern US state of Louisiana.   There were three layers of fences here.   The camera lens went through the first fence, but these additional fences made it difficult to take photos.  Baby alligators are about 8 inches (20.3 cm) long at birth.   Less than 1% of baby alligators survive to become adults.   Humans have not found any adult white alligators in the wild.   Born in the swamps and bayous of Louisiana, the white color makes them more visible to prey.   The theory is that they are quickly eaten by predators.   The sign says there are only about 100 white alligators in captivity.  And we are looking at three of them.   Years ago we visited the Alligator Farm and there were less fences. This is a photo of the white, albino alligator from 2013.

This last alligator, Freeway, is probably mom’s favorite.

This lady alligator was found wandering along the freeway.   She was taken to people that provide animals for movies and commercials.   Freeway starred in the Lubriderm commercials.    She was also in TV shows, including Dexter.   Mom enjoyed the Dexter series.   Now this is an alligator fact that surprises us.

Alligators can be in frozen water, thaw out and then swim to warmer water.   That is almost unbelievable and just amazing.   And fortunate for alligators and for us.   Wherever you go, you always learn something new.  Learn more at http://www.coloradogators.com   The alligator farm is 17 miles north of Alamosa, Colorado.    Visit our alligator farm.   It is fascinating.