Hi friends! It’s me, Ranger River, reporting in from an exciting adventure down south. This time, I traveled with my new friend Harper, who is 3 years old and super brave. Guess where we went? ALLIGATOR ALLEY in Summerdale, Alabama!
We started our day by driving through the pretty Alabama countryside. Harper held me tight in her car seat in anticipation of meeting over 600 real life alligators!
When we arrived, the first thing we saw was a big wooden sign that said Alligator Alley. We went inside to pay our entry fee and we even got a cup of Alligator Food made from ground corn, wheat, bone meal, fish meal, “bad children, and politicians”.
The first stop was to see the hatchlings. Those are baby alligators! 
They were so cute when they were swimming in the water. There was a bunch of them piled up together taking a nap under a heat lamp. We learned that alligators are cold-blooded and like to stay in the sun for warmth! 
We saw all of the young alligators first. They were separated by age. Harper was excited to see the 3-year-old alligators! We tossed some of the food we bought to them and loved watching them splash and chomp!
We also found the snakes! There were HUGE snakes like boas and anacondas! 
One of the boas was coiled up under a heat lamp, and it looked longer than a car. Anacondas can grow to over 20 feet long and weigh more than 200 pounds — that’s heavier than a bear cub!Harper was fascinated. I thought the snakes were amazing and kind of spooky, too!
Then came the best part — feeding time! We walked over to the bleachers that looked out over the swamp. A zookeeper came out with a cooler full of snacks for the gators. The alligators basking in the sun were ready to chomp some lunch!
After that we walked on a boardwalk through the swamp. That’s where the big gators live. Adult alligators can be as long as 15 feet, and can weigh over 500 pounds!
One of the most famous alligators at Alligator Alley is named Captain Crunch. He’s not just any gator — he holds the world record for the strongest bite force ever recorded! 
His jaw strength measured 2,982 pounds of pressure. That’s strong enough to crush a bowling ball! 
We didn’t get too close to Captain Crunch, but it was amazing to see such a powerful animal in real life.
Before we left, Harper even got to hold a baby alligator! Don’t worry, its mouth was taped gently so it couldn’t bite. It felt cool and bumpy, like a real-life dinosaur. She was so brave she even gave him a little kiss! 
At the gift shop, Harper picked out a tiny stuffed alligator to take home. She named it “Little Captain Crunch” in honor of the big guy!
So that’s our adventure, friends! If you ever get the chance to visit Alligator Alley in Summerdale, Alabama, DO IT! You’ll see amazing animals, learn cool facts about nature, and maybe even meet the world’s strongest biter.
Until next time, this is Ranger River and Harper, signing off from the swamp! 
