The cold temperatures in Florida lately have Gatorland’s animal care team and gator experts working around the clock to take care of all its residents.
“We use heat lamps, space heaters and indoor enclosures to protect some of our animals. Jawlene, our jawless alligator whose story went viral, is enjoying her own steamy resort sauna in the Baby Gator Marsh,” explains Brandon Fisher, Alligator Expert and Director of Media Productions. “The big alligators and crocs like to stay in the water when its warmer than the temperature of the air outside. And then they find some sunspots and come out and pile up on one another.”
Tortoises stay inside until the weather reaches 65 degrees. Burmese pythons and tegus have heat lamps blasting to keep the room temperature at 82 degrees. Croc monitors like it at about 85 degrees.
“Our foxes, capybaras and panthers actually enjoy the cold. They are having a blast right now,” Fisher added.
And surprise, ice cream sales at the new Sweet Tooth’s Candy Store, go up when the temperatures go down.
Things to do at Gatorland
Get ready for down-home family fun at “The Alligator Capital of the World®” – Gatorland! There isn’t a better place to see alligators and crocodiles of all sizes, from babies, also known as grunts, to the 14-foot monsters that call the huge Breeding Marsh home. They even have the largest collection of extremely rare white leucistic alligators. But, Gatorland is more than just a gator park!