Alligator Farm hosting 'Reptile Awareness Weekend' | News

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- The St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park will host "Reptile Awareness Weekend" October 20 and 21.

The event is being held to highlight rare and endangered reptiles, such as the Chinese alligator, in an effort to raise awareness and encourage public support of conservation efforts.

During the weekend's activities, guests will have the opportunity to take a photo with a small Chinese alligator, the American alligator's closest living relative. Due to habitat loss and pollution, the Chinese alligator is close to extinction. In the wild, the only place the reptiles live is a small region of the Yangtze River system.

The St. Augustine Alligator Farm is part of an international effort to breed and reintroduce Chinese alligators into their native Chinese habitat.

Other activities during the weekend include the chance to feed rats to alligators, a raffle drawing to benefit Chinese alligator conservation and Maximo feedings on Saturday and Sunday.