Plus What DID Happen To Her Tail?

What’s special about Bob the Alligator at Alligator Adventure in South Carolina? 

In the swamps of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, a cute, beloved four-appendaged reptile named Bob happily resides at Alligator Adventure, an alligator exposure wildlife park. 

This gator not only has its own look-a-like plush in the gift shop, but she also has her own brand of puzzle game, bumper stickers… There's a whole fan following!

Did you catch the “FOUR-appendaged”? That’s right, gators usually have five. But Bob is special; she’s an alligator without a tail!

So what did happen to Bob’s alligator tail after all? 

She is, in fact, one of the few American alligators with a rare genetic condition causing them to be born without a tail.

Bob would not have survived in the wild, as tails are essential for standard alligator movements: swimming in the swamp, hunting and catching prey. However now, she resides comfortably in South Carolina in her own enclosure, with her own (not too deep) pool. 

Famous alligator Bob, born on August 22, 1997, resides at Alligator Adventure in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. You heard right… Bob is a female. Why she’s named “Bob”? We don’t know. But it is difficult to determine an alligator’s sex until they reach adolescence. 

One thing is for sure no matter where you go, people go ga-ga for gators. 

Explore which alligator gifts can work for your store. 

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