Louisiana Fish & Game noticed in the 1960′s that there was a declining alligator population so after many tests and studies, they allowed farming and ranching of alligators. Ranchers harvest wild eggs & farms keep breeding stock on the farm.
The Insta-Gator Ranch & Hatchery taught us more about alligators than we thought possible. Did you know that temperature of the nest determines the sex of an alligator? Above 92 degrees – all boys & below 86 – all girls. Did you know what will happen if you turn an alligator egg upside down? The baby alligator will suffocate. The ranch we visited seeks out & takes eggs from wild alligator nests. They do this very carefully, marking the top side & then keeping a contolled nest temperature of 89 degrees so all the babies will be a mix of male & female. Sex is determined by examining the cloaca. Did you know that all over the world, alligators are born sometime in August?
Ranchers & farmers must return 12% of their hatch to the wild. The other 88% become belts, wallets, handbags & dinners. The ones returned must be at least 4 feet long, ensuring their survival.
Another interesting fact about alligators is that alligator moms are perfect nest builders. In order to keep their nest perfect, they may often smash the eggs. They don’t become good moms until they hear the first ‘chirp’ from the nest.
Fish & Game doesn’t have to worry about alligator populations anymore. There are 6 milliion people in Louisiana & 3 million alligators.
