Louisiana Animal Park: Just the Ticket for Family Fun
by
Marilyn Jones
Before
mega-destinations were the norm, small roadside attractions flourished.
Ambitious entrepreneurs amassed unusual collections or sought out the
extraordinary and bizarre, posted assigns along the highway and hoped for
the best.
Add
refreshments, photo opportunities and souvenirs shops and you might just
make a go of it.
 Fortunately, several of
these destinations are still thriving along America’s highways including
Gators and Friends Alligator Park and Exotic Zoo just west of Shreveport in
Greenwood, LA.
This
attraction, however, is only four years old and features a
just-the-right-size park where tourists can look at the alligators and get
up close and personal with the rest of the residents including llamas, deer,
goats and camels.
 After you’ve paid your
admission, make sure to buy a heaping helping of animal food pellets and get
your camera ready because for the next hour or two you and your family will
be bonding with acres of furry friends just waiting to make your
acquaintance.
Alligators
Alligators are found in the southeast United States and China. The majority
of American alligators are found in Florida and Louisiana, with more than a
million alligators in each state. With the ability to live in freshwater and
brackish water, alligators live in ponds, marshes, lakes, rivers and swamps.
 Gator and Friends’ visitors
are introduced to young and adult alligators in a safe and educational
manner.
The
average American alligator weights around 800 pounds and is 13 feet long,
but they can grow much larger. The largest alligator ever recorded in
Louisiana was 19 feet, two inches long. The average lifespan is 50 years.
 Several times during the
day, alligators are fed. Visitors gather on a bridge over a large pond where
giant alligators can be viewed throughout the day. A zoo keeper shakes a
bucket of dry food bringing the alligators to a central location. As the
food is tossed from the bucket out and over the alligators, many propel
themselves upward to better their chance at the food.
 Guests also can hold baby
alligators at specific times. {place photo 17 here}
Petting zoo
Beyond
the alligator enclosures is a world of furry, four-legged fun.
Goats,
deer and miniature horses eagerly accept the animal food pellets from
children and adults alike.
 Other residents include
kangaroos, ring-tailed lemurs, a Scottish cow, llamas, camels and capybaras
— the largest rodent in the world.
The
park’s mission is to present an educational and interactive animal
adventure. Education is the key to
preserving these animals for future generations and the park welcomes school
groups on a regular basis.
If
you go:
Directions from Dallas: From I-20 East, take Exit 635 in Waskom, Texas. Turn
left over the Interstate to US-80. Turn right on US-80 and follow for one
mile.
Directions from Shreveport: From I-20 West, take Exit 3 in Greenwood,
Louisiana. Turn left on LA-169 over the Interstate to US-80. Turn right on
US-80 and follow for 3.5 miles.
 Wear casual clothing and
comfortable shoes. For the health and safety of the animals, no balloons or
small plastic toys are allowed on property.
Alligator feeding shows begin in mid-April and end in mid-October. In North
Louisiana, alligators eat according to the temperature of the water and do
not eat during the winter months.
May to
August, the park is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The rest
of the year the park is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
For more
information, check the attraction
website.
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