St. Augustine Alligator Farm

The Alligator Farm and Zoological Park offers an attraction for kids and adults, providing everyone with several hours of activities, educational experiences, and fun. The park exhibits and houses more than 125 species of animals, including tortoises, turtles, ducks, crocodiles, caimans, snakes, lemurs, owls, tamarins, macaws, parrots, cockatoos, tarantulas, vultures, geckos, chameleons, pheasants, and (of course) alligators.

The Alligator Farm and Zoological Park sits inside a large fenced-in plot of land on A1A on Anastasia Island, and offers multiple paths and boardwalks to let you easily tour every section. The Alligator Lagoon and adjacent theater offer short presentations throughout the day. You can watch the zoologists feed the alligators, talk with a parrot, and handle snakes. Sections of the park include "Birds of Africa," "Land of Crocodiles," "The Great Downunder," and "Oasis on the Nile," each featuring species from that region of the world.

There are several covered seating areas, a play area for kids, Toucan Tina's snack bar for refreshments, and inside exhibits. For example, local species are exhibited in the "Anastasia Island Conservation Area," providing information about native wildlife. In addition, the area has become a natural rookery for migratory birds who nest in the trees above the farm. 

The park has short events during the day, with an alligator feeding at noon and 3:00 p.m. Other daily events include discussions about reptiles, animals native to Florida, and animals and birds of the rainforest.

Hours and Tickets

The park is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every day of the year. You can purchase tickets at the park or in advance on their website. The St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park offers a 10% discount for senior citizens, members of the military, and AAA members. There is free parking.

Special Active Experiences

The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park offers two activities for active children and adults: a zipline and a climbing challenge.  You can purchase tickets for the zipline and climbing challenge at a separate entrance, steps from the park's main entrance. Zipline tickets do not include entrance to the park.

Conservation and Research

The park works with zoos and aquariums in North America in the Species Survival Program, which manages the breeding of select species so the population is genetically diverse. The St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park also works with other zoos and organizations so that species survive. 

The Rookery

As a natural result of having hundreds of predatory reptiles (within fences) on the grounds, several species of migratory wild birds have chosen to return each year to nest in the trees at the Alligator Farm Zoological Park. Although the zookeepers at the farm keep the alligators well fed, these massive reptiles deter populations of raccoons, rats, and other local animals that prefer dining on eggs and baby birds. 

Each year, birders and photographers mark their calendars to visit St Augustine during nesting season, which extends from around Valentine's Day through much of July. Rosaete spoonbills have a relatively loose schedule, some arriving in January and others much later. As a result, you can see spoonbills building nests, sitting on eggs, and feeding chicks from January through July, and some spoonbill chicks don't hatch until early June. Other species are more predictable:

• Great egrets arrive around Valentine's Day, their chicks start to hatch in late March, and are fledglings by July.
• Wood storks arrive in late February, their chicks start to hatch in early April, and are fledglings in July.
• Snowy egrets start arriving late in March and lay eggs immediately. Their chicks start hatching late in April.
• Little blue herons and tri-colored herons start arriving late in March and lay their eggs in April.
• Cattle egrets show up in early April.
• Green herons start nesting in mid-April, not in the rookery, but in the park. 

By June, the trees are full of beautiful and noisy nesting birds, most seeking to keep their chicks fed. By July, the chicks have become fledglings. Their parents may still feed them, but they are learning to fly and may leave the nest. By late August, most of the adults have started migrating south.

Visiting the Rookery

All guests may walk the boardwalk around the rookery, lingering to watch the birds and taking photos or videos. Avid photographers can purchase a photo membership offering access to a photographers-only deck. The walkways and viewing decks are accessible for those in wheelchairs and families with strollers.

Accesibility

The paths and boardwalks of the park are accessible for people in wheelchairs and those pushing carriages and strollers. See their website for the physical requirements of the special active experiences.