AssetID: 54635732
Headline: RAW VIDEO: Two Tiny 'Dinosaur' Baby Alligators Hatch At Australian Reptile Park
Caption: An Australian zoo is celebrating the birth of two baby alligators. The tiny reptiles, no bigger than the palm of a hand, have already stolen hearts at the Australian Reptile Park, and the joyous moment was caught on camera. Head Reptile Keeper Dylan Wallis shared: “I walked in to check their progress and saw that they had begun hatching—I couldn’t resist getting my phone out to film the momentous occasion. It’s just like your baby taking its first steps, I was so proud!” The park’s passionate team couldn’t be more thrilled, likening the scaly hatchlings to prehistoric creatures. “We are just stoked with the arrival of our little dinosaur look-a-likes! And we were so lucky to catch the moment on camera. They are so small at the moment and can fit in the palm of my hand—it’s crazy to think that they’ll grow up to be 3-4 metres one day,” Mr Wallis said. But their journey to this moment was no walk in the park. In December, the team braved the notoriously risky annual “Gator Raid” — a tense operation where three brave keepers restrain the fiercely protective mother while two others retrieve the precious eggs from the nest. The daring mission is vital to keep the eggs safe from being devoured by other gators and to shield them from the sweltering Aussie summer. For now, the hatchlings are staying behind the scenes as they get their start in life, but fans of the park won’t have to wait forever to meet them. “As these gators have only just hatched, it will be a little while before they go on display in the Lost World of Reptiles. They will eventually be moved to our massive Gator Lagoon when they reach around 2 metres in length, which is in approximately 5 to 8 years,” Mr Wallis added. Visitors are encouraged to keep their eyes peeled for updates on the park’s newest stars, as they embark on their incredible journey from tiny terrors to mighty swamp dwellers. Native to the swamps and bayous of America’s southeast, alligators face threats from habitat destruction and water pollution — and are often unfairly targeted due to fears of attacks. But experts insist these creatures are far shyer than their crocodilian cousins. Males can grow over five metres long, while females remain smaller.
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