Monday, 20 June, 2011 9:24
by Glynn
Gators and Friends Alligator Park was established in 2006. It was created to increase awareness among the public about different types of animals, their habitat, lifestyle, and survival techniques. Owner Jim Willett and his zoo keepers at the exotic petting farm have a genuine love for all of the animals.
This is truly a site to see. I mean it’s remarkable. This was my first time going to the park, and I must say I enjoyed myself. There were all kinds of animals that I have never seen before besides on television. As I walked through the park, I was feeding the different animals and they let me pet them.
The alligators were kept in a gated pond separate from the other animals. Those were some of the biggest alligators I have ever seen at any other park or zoo I have been to. Many of them where sleep when I arrived, because they had just eaten. Besides the alligators, the park has a wide variety of exotic animals such as miniature horses, kangaroos, ring-tailed lemurs, deer, coatimundis, goats, llamas, a camel, a capybara (the largest rodent in the world), and even a Scottish cow. Alligator feeding times are 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.
What makes this park different is you are able to get up close and personal with these out of the ordinary animals. If you happen to be at the park during feeding time, the animal keepers will grant you permission to feed the animals. If you are looking for fun in the sun or want to experience something different you should definitely take a trip to Gators and Friends. They are open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. and are located at 11441 US Hwy 80 in Greenwood, La 71033. For more information please feel free to call them at (318) 938-1199 or visit www.gatorsandfriends.com
