The Maurice Story

Maurice — The Middendorf’s Gator

Did you know the adorable stuffed alligator “Maurice” you’ll find in our gift shops is named after a real gator?

That’s right—Maurice was an actual baby alligator who showed up in the pond at Middendorf’s Manchac back in 2017. He quickly became a little local celebrity. Cute, curious, and full of personality, he was always a joy to watch as he spent time in and around the water.

Eventually, Maurice had to be re-homed so he could continue growing safely in the wild. We like to think he’s still out there thriving somewhere in the Manchac Swamp, living his best gator life.

We were lucky to enjoy visits from him—along with the other animals in our animal enclosure (the ones that are actually supposed to be there… LOL)—and those memories are exactly why “Maurice” lives on today. Now, every stuffed Maurice in our gift shop is a small reminder of the real one we all came to love.