St. Augustine Alligator Farm Launches 6,000-Square-Foot Veterinary Clinic

Since the 1990s, the Alligator Farm has collaborated with the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine to provide medical care for nearly 700 animals from over 134 species, including crocodilians, snakes, lizards, mammals, and birds. This partnership enables veterinary students and residents to gain hands-on experience with diverse species.

Gen Anderson, the park’s general curator, emphasized the clinic's role in enhancing operations and biosecurity. "The new veterinary clinic will provide a quiet, dedicated space for veterinary care, away from the main flow of staff and daily operations. This will improve biosecurity while providing a climate-controlled environment for the examination, treatment, and recovery of animals, including large crocodilians," Anderson stated. He noted that the facility would increase animal welfare, staff safety, and the overall quality of veterinary care.

The new clinic features patient holding areas, an examination room, and office space, and allows medical professionals, including veterinarians, veterinary nurses, and students from the university, to start seeing animal patients immediately. The clinic will also facilitate collaborative scientific studies with external researchers in partnership with the Alligator Farm Foundation, the zoo's nonprofit dedicated to wildlife conservation.

Dr. Amy Alexander, a clinical associate professor of zoological medicine at the University of Florida, highlighted the educational and research opportunities the clinic provides. "We are very fortunate to have this new veterinary clinic, which allows us to further our veterinary care, advance scientific knowledge, and expand educational opportunities for veterinary students and animal care teams from around the world," Alexander remarked.