Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo, Animal park and petting zoo in Hot Springs, United States.
The Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo is an animal park in Hot Springs, Arkansas, that keeps American alligators, mountain lions, wolves, monkeys, and domestic animals in separate enclosures. Each species has its own area, and viewing spots throughout the park let visitors get close to the animals.
The park opened in 1902, making it one of the oldest tourist attractions in Hot Springs. It has kept the same focus on wildlife throughout its more than a century of operation.
Feeding demonstrations show how alligators move and react during meals, giving visitors a clear sense of how these reptiles behave in a group. Watching them from close range changes the way most people think about these animals.
Arriving during feeding times gives the best chance of seeing the animals active and moving around. The park suits visitors of all ages, with areas for watching and areas for direct animal contact.
Visitors can hold baby alligators and hand-feed parakeets and miniature goats, which is not common at most animal parks. For many people, holding a live alligator, however small, is something they did not expect to do on a trip to Arkansas.
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