The California Alligator Farm was established for the purpose of raising alligators for their hides, and to supply live specimens to shows, parks and zoological gardens.

The alligator is indigenous to the swampy parts of the southern states, extending from the everglades of Florida to southeastern Texas.  Owing to the depredations of the hunter and the demand for his hide the alligator is rapidly becoming extinct, at least in its natural haunts.  The breeding of alligators in captivity has been found to be an easy matter when placed in a reproduction of their natural environs.  In the warm and congenial climate of Southern California the natural and climatic conditions are highly favorable to the raising of saurians.  The Farm consists of twenty small lakes or swamps where the alligators are kept, owing to the cannibalistic tendencies they have to be segregated according to size, the youngsters in one lake, those a little larger in another, etc. 

The alligator lives to a grand old age, some naturalists say 500 years or more.  In its natural haunts the animal hibernates by burying in the ground during the cold weather, but here it is warm enough so they do not bury but can be seen everyday in the year, but partake of no food during the winter.  As the weather warms up in the spring they begin eating very lightly, becoming ravenous i the hot summer.  The feeding is a very interesting sight, large pieces of meat are thrown in and a number of alligators will take hold and begin rolling over and over, in this manner twisting pieces of the meat off.

The farm is open to visitors every day in the year, alligators of all sizes from babies hardly the size of lizards to huge monsters, the nests, eggs etc. may be seen in a beautiful park.  Competent guides are furnished visitors to give information and explain the life and habits of these strange creatures, making a visit interesting and amusing as well as instructive.

A large salesroom is maintained in connection with the farm where all kinds of leather goods made from the alligator hide is offered for sale.

One of the most novel and Interesting Sights in the World.  Most Stupendous Aggregation of Alligators ever exhibited

"OKEECHOBEE" - The largest Alligator in captivity.

(age about 500 years.)

Entertaining the Visitors

Here are to be seen hundreds of Alligators of all sizes, from little babies hardly the size of a lizard, up to huge monsters 500 years old or more.  The nests, the eggs incubating in the machines, all to be seen in a beautiful park and miniature lakes, especially adapted for raising saurians.

EVERYONE

Should See this Wonderful Industry

Competent guides are furnished every visitor to give information and explain all about the life and habits of these strange creatures, making your visit intensely interesting and amusing, as well as instructive.

SPECIAL EXHIBITION given DAILY at 4 p.m.  Trained Alligators "shooting the chutes." hypnotizing Alligators, and illustrating the methods of catching wild Alligators. 

Feeding Time

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