SALISBURY, Md.- The Salisbury Zoo’s two American alligators and black-necked swan will be leaving for their new home in Minnesota on Tuesday, May 3.
One of the alligators, named "Big," is about 40-years-old. She came to the zoo in 1982 from a private owner and her exact birthdate is unknown. The other alligator, "Little," is 26 and came to the Salisbury Zoo in 1996 from St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park.
Salisbury Zoo officials said the two alligators' new home is constructing a brand new custom alligator exhibit with a waterfall for them to lounge under and a river where they can swim.
In the wild, alligators live to about 50-years-old. Females reach lengths of more than 8 feet and males will grow to be longer than 11 feet. Once alligators reach about 4 feet, their only predators are humans and other gators. Female alligators are fiercely defensive of their eggs and babies.
Ron the black-neck swan will also be moving with the alligators. He came to the Salisbury Zoo in 2011 from the Sacramento Zoo. This spring, Salisbury Zoo Staff had to move him off the river and into the alligator exhibit to protect him from avian influenza.