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Crocodilians in American Zoos

Discussion in 'United States' started by Hipporex, 4 Sep 2020.

  1. Smaggledagle

    Smaggledagle Well-Known Member

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    Branson's Wild World in Branson, Missouri has American alligator, saltwater crocodile, Cuban crocodile, and Morelet's crocodile (according to the facility's website).
     
  2. Corangurilla

    Corangurilla Well-Known Member

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    I don’t know if it was mentioned here, but the Phoenix Zoo has both alligator species.
    Odysea has American Alligators & Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman (they also had juvenile Siamese Crocodiles and a juvenile Tomistoma up until 2019).
    Butterfly Wonderland (Odysea’s neighbor) has a Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman in their Rainforest Reptiles area.
     
  3. Antimony96

    Antimony96 Well-Known Member

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    Clyde Peeling's Reptileland has American alligator and saltwater crocodile (identified as estuarine crocodile on the site)
     
  4. Smaggledagle

    Smaggledagle Well-Known Member

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    North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher - American alligator (normal/white variant)
    North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores - American alligator, Orinoco crocodile
    North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island - American alligator (normal/white variant)
     
  5. SusScrofa

    SusScrofa Well-Known Member

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    Sawgrass Recreation Park in Weston, FL surprisingly keeps Morelet's Crocodile.
    They also have American Alligators, and there is an enclosure signed for Spectacled Caiman but I didn't happen to see any.
     
  6. Smaggledagle

    Smaggledagle Well-Known Member

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    Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium now have an Orinoco crocodile.
     
  7. SBNM

    SBNM New Member

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    Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo (Gainesville, FL) seems to have escaped the most recent versions of the list. They no longer hold: broad snouted caiman, West African Dwarf crocodile. They still hold: Alligator mississippiensis (American alligator) (1.1).

    As an additional point of interest, their female American alligator "Rainbow" is missing portions of one front and one rear leg (I can't remember which way around) - still a very powerful swimmer regardless!
     
  8. Smaggledagle

    Smaggledagle Well-Known Member

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    Kansas City Zoo now has a female dwarf crocodile, though exact species not specified.

    Log into Facebook
     
  9. TinoPup

    TinoPup Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    The species is specified. It's a dwarf crocodile.
     
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  10. Smaggledagle

    Smaggledagle Well-Known Member

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    Theater of the Sea has American alligator and an American crocodile x Cuban crocodile hybrid
     
  11. Breckenridge

    Breckenridge Well-Known Member

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    The North Carolina Zoo is planning to have Chinese Alligators in their Asia expansion, giving them both species.
     
  12. Smaggledagle

    Smaggledagle Well-Known Member

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  13. Smaggledagle

    Smaggledagle Well-Known Member

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  14. biggiesmalls

    biggiesmalls Well-Known Member

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    I was talking to a friend with the Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary, and he arrived at the following list of Black Caimans (Melanosuchus niger) left in the country:

    (1.7) kept at Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary. (1.6) are younger animals that will hopefully start to breed in ~5 years or so, while (0.1) is much larger, and the oldest known in captivity.
    The 1.6 group:[​IMG] The big girl:[​IMG]

    (0.2) kept at St. Augustine Alligator Farm.

    (0.1) named "Motorboat" kept at ZooMiami. There are only three animals left in AZA collections, all of which are female.
    Motorboat:[​IMG]

    (0.0.1) kept at a facility in North Dakota. No further information than this, unfortunately.

    There may be an additional one or two animals unaccounted for on that list, but they would be old animals potentially past their prime and not visible to the public regardless.
     
  15. PSO

    PSO Well-Known Member

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    The other place is actually in South Dakota, Reptile Gardens. That info also comes from Phoenix Herp
     
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  16. SwampDonkey

    SwampDonkey In the Swamp Premium Member 5+ year member

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    Just to update this I believe they now hold American Alligator, Cuvier's dwarf caiman, and juvenile nile crocodiles.
     
  17. Astrotom3000

    Astrotom3000 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Didn't see this mentioned, but Riverbanks no longer holds Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman (as well as Tomistoma, but that was mentioned back on page 8). The newly-renovated Aquarium and Reptile Complex has no crocodilians; if they were housed in there previously, they are no longer present unless they are now exclusively behind-the-scenes. Currently, their only crocodilian species on display is the American Alligator.

    Also, Virginia Aquarium should be listed as holding Tomistoma. It's missing from the last list.
     
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  18. King of Komodo Dragons

    King of Komodo Dragons Well-Known Member

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    Where did the one at ZooMiami come from? I assume it is kept BTS as the only crocodilians I've even seen at Miami are American Alligators, American Crocodile, Cuban Crocodile, and Orinoco Crocodile
     
  19. biggiesmalls

    biggiesmalls Well-Known Member

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    Thank you! I had a hunch it may have actually been Reptile Gardens given their rather eccentric collection, but didn't think to ask in the moment. Do you know any info on numbers, sex, age?

    She is kept BTS, according to a keeper. I just realized those pics never posted before, oops :confused:

    Let's try again - first is Motorboat, Zoo Miami's girl:
    motorboat.jpg

    Here's the big girl from Phoenix, as far as they are aware she is the oldest captive:
    blackcaiman.jpg

    And here's the (1.6) group from Phoenix. Words cannot describe how hopeful I am to see that male put in some work over the next decade or two...
    blackcaimans.jpg
     
    Last edited: 25 Jan 2024
  20. PSO

    PSO Well-Known Member

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    I believe the Reptile Garden caiman is one of the confiscations that ended up at Miami so would be similar to the on kept BTS there.

    Big Girl at Phoenix herp is the oldest known black caiman at least in this country. Approximately 50-60. She was brought in from Silver Springs when they closed down the zoological part. I actually saw her at SS back in 2010
     
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