Content Warning: This section of the guide describes and discusses the source text treatment of the sexual assault of a minor.

Ava Bigtree’s family owns and operates Swamplandia!, a reptile theme park located in the Ten Thousand Islands on the edge of the Florida Everglades. She lives there with her father Chief Bigtree, brother Kiwi, and sister Osceola (Ossie). Although struggling, it was once a popular tourist attraction, drawing pale, “sweaty” visitors from all across the United States. Swamplandia! features pythons, caimans, lizards, and even a rescued bear, but the star attraction is the family’s collection of alligators. Ava’s mother Hilola had, when she was alive, performed in a nighttime show called “Swimming with the Seths” (All 91 of their alligators are named Seth), which called for her to dive into the compound’s gator pit and swim, by starlight and spotlight, through gator-infested waters, to the edge of the pond. Hilola’s act was popular with the park’s visitors, and Hilola herself had been deeply loved by her family. Everyone was devastated when she fell ill, and Ava recalls the cancer progressing quickly. She died just before Ava turned 13.

After Hilola’s death, the park began to struggle. Initially, many visitors were disgruntled about the lack of a headlining show.