You might have caught the news earlier this week about Delaware’s only exotic animal sanctuary picking up another alligator in need of a home – and you probably did a double-take. Alligators in Delaware? An exotic animal sanctuary? What’s going on here?

The 3 Palms Zoo and Education Center is one of Delaware’s best-kept secrets! It’s been open to the public for seven years but has been running as a rehabilitation and sanctuary center for over 13 years. What started out as a safe space for abandoned agricultural animals has grown into a large zoo with 275 animals – all with their own personalities and names.

3 Palms Zoo is located in Townsend, Delaware.
Yelp / Adrienne A
Find them at 1060 Vandyke Greenspring Road, Townsend, DE 19734.
You'll be impressed by the beautifully designed animal habitats.
Yelp / 3 Palms Zoo
They're very well thought out and are built to meet the needs of their creatures. While you wander the zoo, be sure to say hi to Nora, the goose that's probably following you around.
But wait - what was all that talk about an alligator?
Facebook / 3 Palms Zoo
Well, meet Mr. Smee. Smee was donated to the zoo by an anonymous person who realized, quite smartly, that having an alligator as a pet was a very bad idea. Luckily for Mr. Smee, his owner had taken great care of him, and he arrived at the Delaware animal sanctuary in great health.
Mr. Smee isn't the first alligator here, though. Tik Tok has been living at 3 Palms for years!
Facebook / 3 Palms Zoo
Tik Tok and Mr. Smee, who was renamed from Fonzo, are still getting used to each other. Neither of them had ever seen another alligator before, but they're adjusting well! The zoo hopes to be able to grow their exhibit large enough to house them both comfortably, but if that is not possible, they'll find them excellent homes in another zoo.

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Of course, the Zoo has many more residents than just the alligators!
Facebook / 3 Palms Zoo
The Red Eared Sliders are fun to watch as they dive in and out of the water. I can't tell who this one is - Wendell? Morris?
Oh! Of course you can't forget Dominick the Donkey!
Yelp / Adrienne A
Dominick is always in a great mood, and he may or may not actually eat fingers. He's one of 3 Palm Zoo's most loved residents!
Rosie the Raccoon loves attention, so be sure to visit her.
Facebook / 3 Palms Zoo
She's one of the most playful of the zoo's animals, and always seems to charm the visitors as they walk by her home.
If you've got a great sense of humor, climb the Goat Castle.
Facebook / 3 Palms Zoo
Goats are one of my favorite animals, and the playful group here is sure to put a smile on your face. Romeo is so sweet! It's easy to see how he got his name.
Before you leave, be sure to take a peek at Shylo, the Silver Fox.
Facebook / 3 Palms Zoo
Shylo is absolutely breathtaking - one of the most gorgeous animals I've ever seen. He seems to know it, too, and though he is actually quite shy, when he is strutting his stuff, he looks like the king of the entire zoo.

The owners of 3 Palms Zoo, Dan Stonebraker and Matt Shaffner, work day in and day out to ensure their animals get all of the care and love that they deserve, and there seem to always be animals in need of rescue. This time of year is particularly worrisome, as parents purchase chicks and ducklings for their children for Easter, and then quickly abandon them when they realize how much work it is to raise these animals properly. Remember, chicks and ducklings cannot be released into the wild, it’s a death sentence for them. Visit 3 Palms Zoo this spring to meet all the adorable animals you could possibly want to see and get your cute and fuzzy fix that way.

If you’re shocked that you didn’t know about the 3 Palms Zoo, you might enjoy our list of 10 Hidden Places In Delaware Only Locals Know About.

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3 Palms Zoo, 1060 Vandyke Greenspring Rd, Townsend, DE 19734, USA