ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — When you concentrate on the Alligator Farm and Zoological Park in St. Augustine, you may solely take into consideration alligators lounging round for visitors to watch.
What You Want To Know
- Alligator Farm and Zoological Park in St. Augustine is home to many Galapagos tortoises
- Guests pays to go contained in the tortoise’s habitat to find out about and contact the mild giants
- These tortoises have been born within the Nineteen Forties and will dwell a whole lot of years
- The encounter takes place Tuesday by way of Sunday and on-line reservations are required
However the park can also be home to a lot extra, together with its Galapagos Tortoise Encounter that permits guests to go contained in the tortoise habitat and find out about and even contact the mild giants.
The expertise is separate from the park’s entrance payment and reservations are made on-line forward of time.
While you arrive to your tortoise expertise, you might be met exterior the habitat the place the reptiles dwell, and you might be greeted by your animal professional who will share his or her data concerning the reptiles.
Gen Anderson is the final curator on the St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park.
“Every tortoise has a different shaped shell. They are all very hard, of course, and very sensitive. You will be able to feel that and feel different parts of their legs and their neck and how their skin feels different,” mentioned Anderson.
The tortoises residing on the park are throughout 80 years previous, and are among the oldest reptiles residing in Florida.
Most will outlive people.
“They are expected to live 200 to maybe 250 years. Maybe even longer,” mentioned Anderson.
The tortoise professional will escort guests into the habitat to study extra concerning the reptiles.
It is a chance for guests to the touch and ask questions concerning the tortoises whereas your information will even discuss concerning the animals.
“Having a group come here and rub their shells, it’s like a massage, a spa day. So, they do look forward to it,” mentioned Anderson.
For 20 years, Anderson has been educating guests about endangered species and different animals that make their home on the zoo.
She limits the variety of each day encounters, however believes the tortoises take pleasure in human interactions.
Guides will even educate guests concerning the Galapagos Islands which might be situated off the coast of Ecuador, the place they will find out about their place of birth.
The price to do the Galapagos Tortoises Encounter is $35 per individual and on-line reservations are required.
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