When the crack of eggs was heard at the Australian Reptile Park recently, it could only mean one thing – two adorable baby alligators had hatched, following their incubation in late December.
Head Reptile Keeper Dylan Wallis was excited about the new arrivals.
“I walked in to check their progress and saw that they had begun hatching,” he said.
“I couldn’t resist getting my phone out to film the momentous occasion.
“It’s just like your baby taking its first steps; I was so proud.”
Wallis said the keepers at the Australian Reptile Park were thrilled with the arrival of the little dinosaur look-a-likes.
“We are just stoked … and we were so lucky to catch the moment on camera.
“They are so small at the moment and can fit in the palm of my hand—it’s crazy to think that they’ll grow up to be 3-4 metres one day.”
In December last year, keepers at the park undertook the extremely dangerous annual “Gator Raid” to protect the alligator eggs.
During this operation, three keepers restrain the female alligator while two other keepers carefully collect the eggs from the nest.
This process is crucial to prevent the eggs from being eaten by cannibalistic alligators and to shield them from the harsh Australian summer
“As these gators have only just hatched, it will be a little while before they go on display in the Lost World of Reptiles,” Wallis said.
“They will eventually be moved to our massive Gator Lagoon when they reach around two metres in length, in approximately five to eight years.”
The Australian Reptile Park invites visitors to stay tuned for updates on the new arrivals and to witness the incredible journey of these baby alligators as they grow and thrive in their care.
Alligators are found in the swamps and bayous of the southeastern USA.
Wetland clearance and polluted waterways are the main threats to their population.
They are frequently shot by humans because they are seen as a danger, but alligators are much more timid than crocodiles.
Males are much larger than females, reaching over five metres in length.
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