The Los Angeles Zoo’s famed American alligator, Reggie, and his new roommate, Cajun Kate, make their media debut together on May 10, 2010 at 9 a.m., with the assistance of Officials from the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Zoo.

In mid-April, Reggie and Cajun Kate were introduced.  As can happen with any first time meeting, there was some friction following the introduction.  L.A. Zoo animal keepers kept a close eye on the pair as they adjusted to their new situation.  Though there were a few superficial wounds, the duo has adapted to their newly shared digs near the Zoo’s entrance. 

WHAT/WHEN: Reggie and Cajun Kate Debut at the L.A. Zoo
Monday, May 10, 2010 at 9 a.m.
Media please check-in at window #11

WHO: City of Los Angeles Councilmember Tom LaBonge, District 4
City of Los Angeles Councilwoman Janice Hahn, District 15
Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens Director John Lewis
Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians Ian Recchio
Grammy Nominees and author of the “Reggie Alligator” song Lisa Haley & the Zydekats

WHERE: Los Angeles Zoo

From 2005 through 2007, Reggie garnered world-wide attention as the elusive alligator living in Lake Machado in Harbor City, Calif.  After avoiding capture for two years, Reggie was apprehended on May 24, 2007, by Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians Ian Recchio with assistance from Recreation and Parks officials and members of the Fire and Police departments.  Before his life at the Zoo, Reggie had been kept illegally by a private citizen who then set him loose in Harbor City’s Lake Machado. 

Until recently Cajun Kate had been sharing a habitat with another male alligator, Methuselah.  He was the oldest animal at the Los Angeles Zoo.  Methuselah came from the old L.A. Zoo and was at the current Zoo when it opened on November 28, 1966.  He passed away on March 17, 2010.  Recchio estimates that Methuselah was at least 70-years-old. 

Native to wetlands throughout the southeastern United States, American alligators have large, slightly rounded bodies with thick limbs, broad heads and powerful tails.  Males can grow up to 14 feet in length, while females can reach eight feet in length.  In 1967, alligators were listed as an endangered species.  However, combined efforts by federal and state wildlife agencies have saved these unique animals.  Today, although no longer endangered, the American alligator’s greatest threat is humans, habitat destruction and water pollution. 

Please click here to learn more about American alligators