Adventure Aquarium Welcomes an 800 lb American Alligator Named Mighty Mike!

CAMDEN, N.J., Oct. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- There's something BIG awaiting your next visit to Adventure Aquarium on the Camden, NJ Waterfront.  Very big.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111013/PH86144 )

A 14-foot, 800-pound American alligator named Mighty Mike is now on exhibit at Adventure Aquarium; the largest alligator in the country on display outside of Florida.

"We wanted to do something big," said Kevin Keppel, the Aquarium's Executive Director, "and it doesn't get much bigger than Mighty Mike.  We're excited to be the exclusive home for this remarkable animal during his first visit to the Philadelphia region."

Mighty Mike is on temporary loan from a private collection in Florida. He is expected to be on display until February 2012.

"An animal as rare as Mighty Mike is simply a must-see," said Marc Kind, the Aquarium's Director of Husbandry. "Like sharks, alligators are often vilified and feared.  I'm thrilled that our husbandry team has the opportunity to work with an alligator as large and rare as Mighty Mike, and we look forward to educating guests about this amazing, and often misunderstood, animal."

The addition of this massive alligator coincides with two additional events:

• The arrival of a juvenile Great Hammerhead Shark, making Adventure Aquarium currently the only aquarium in the country to exhibit TWO Great Hammerhead sharks.  
• Now through November 23, take advantage of $15 Fun Days (http://www.adventureaquarium.com/specials/fundays.aspx) at Adventure Aquarium, featuring $15 admission for adults and children when purchased online.

Because of his size and back-story, Mighty Mike is a champion for conservation.

In 2000, an 800-pound alligator began living near a boat dock on Lake Talquin, FL.  Especially large alligators are considered a threat, so authorities declared it a nuisance and ordered it destroyed. However, the trapper knew this particular alligator was special and asked a local reptile expert to provide him with a new home.

The American Alligator, one of 23 species of crocodiles known worldwide, was close to extinction 40 years ago. They were among the first animals listed in the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966, the first federal animal conservation law of its kind. Conservation laws and research saved the American alligator and now they are managed as a valuable resource.

For more information, visit Adventure Aquarium at www.adventureaquarium.com.

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Kim Walker, 856-365-3300 X7307, [email protected]

SOURCE Adventure Aquarium