Long Island Game Farm unveils long-awaited alligator habitat

See you sooner than later, alligator.

The Long Island Game Farm in Manorville has opened a new alligator exhibit featuring three juvenile North American alligators named Snappy, Al and River.

The exhibit, built to meet state licensing requirements for dangerous animals, gives visitors a close look at the alligators in a roughly $30,000 habitat with warm basking areas, shaded spots and a large water feature.

“The DEC added a dangerous animal license, which alligators were a part of,” said Long Island Game Farm President Melinda Novak. “We had to make a lot of changes and plan out a new exhibit that would fit the dangerous animal license.”

Sound Shore Ponds Inc. worked for around five years to develop the habitat, which was designed to mirror the alligators’ native environment. None of the three alligators were taken from the wild, according to Ms. Novak.

“Alligators are pretty simple creatures,” Ms. Novak said. “They want water, a place where they can bask in the sun. They regulate their temperature … at certain times of the day, they’re in certain parts of the enclosure, which is working for them.”

In addition to the new attraction, guests are invited to the “Gator Talk and Feedings” portion of the day from 11:15 a.m. to 2 p.m. to deepen their knowledge on the species. These sessions are designed to educate visitors on alligator behavior, their role in the ecosystem, and the importance of conservation efforts.

One gator came from an SPCA and is estimated to be 5 years old, Ms. Novak said. The other two were purchased from the St. Augustine Alligator Farm in Florida and are 6 years old.

The Game Farm has had the alligators for several years, Ms. Novak said. They are about 3 feet long now and can grow to 10 to 12 feet. As they grow, they may eventually be relocated to a Florida facility or another zoo, depending on future arrangements, she said.

Ms. Novak said the wildlife park attracts visitors from across the Northeast, including New Jersey, Westchester County, upstate New York and Brooklyn. One family even traveled from Canada to participate in the park’s capybara encounters.

“We don’t want to be like a Disney or something more artificial,” Ms. Novak told The Riverhead News-Review. “We want to really focus on animals and nature because I think that’s what Long Islanders need — more animals and more nature. We encourage people to come back because we’ve changed so much. We’re calm. It’s relaxing here.”

The exhibit is already open. The official grand opening is scheduled for Saturday, July 25, with a rain date of Sunday, July 26.

“People, especially children, don’t really get to see alligators,” Ms. Novak said. “They see them on their computer or in a movie. But seeing them up close and live in person is really exciting for them.”