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Baby American Alligators hatch at Gatorland in Orlando
Gatorland released this video of American Alligators hatching at the Orlando attraction.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Welcome to the world! Gatorland, an animal park in Orlando, has welcomed its first new American Alligator hatchlings of the season into the world.
"We are head over heels in love with our new baby alligators," said Mark McHugh, President and CEO of Gatorland. "It is nothing less than amazing to see them hatch, breaking out of their shells with their little egg tooth and sticking their snouts out. We watch them and help them as they work hard to break through the leathery inner shell and then the harder outer shell. Sometimes they have to rest and take a break."
While this is the first baby alligators of the season, more are hatching every day, Gatorland added. Dozens hatch at the park each year.
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Naturally, American Alligators mate from April through June at Gatorland, the park said. They lay their eggs in nests under brush and bushy areas besides lakes in the park. Typically, they lay between 35 to 40 eggs, which take 60 to 65 days to hatch. Staff collect the eggs and place them in incubators to ensure their safety.
When they hatch, Gatorland said that the babies are about about five to six inches long. They are kept in a special area out of public view until they can eat a meal or two on their own. Then, at about six weeks, they get to live in their very own resort at Gatorland’s baby gator swamp.
See photos of the baby American Alligators from Gatorland below.
Photo from Gatorland
Photo from Gatorland
Photo from Gatorland
Photo from Gatorland
Photo from Gatorland
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