Alligators are fascinating animals.\u00a0 Large, primitive, with alert eyes that, like any good predator’s, follow you wherever you go.\u00a0 I must admit that when they fix their unblinking eyes on me, the hair stands up on my neck.\u00a0 They are six inches long when they’re born, but as fully grown adults can reach a length of almost 20 ft (more than 6 meters).\u00a0 Once a threatened species, they’ve recovered and you’ll find them in freshwater swamps and lakes of the southeast.<\/p>\n

<\/a>I recently visited Orlando with my father and one day was spent at the fun old-fashioned amusement park, Gatorland<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 There are several shows at this venue, including one featuring alligator wrestling.\u00a0 This is not a violent sport but consists of an experienced trainer subduing alligators that are about 2 meters long.\u00a0 Far from monsters, they are nonetheless strong and can be dangerous.<\/p>\n

For a small fee, anyone can “wrestle” a gator, which basically means sitting on the back of a gator which has a strong rubber band around its mouth, so it can’t bite you.\u00a0 But it could still buck you off and whack you with its powerful tail, so its not without slight risk.\u00a0 The fees are used to feed the animals at the park, and you’re always under the supervision of a trainer, so it’s quite safe.<\/p>\n

The following clip gives you a feel for some of the action:<\/p>\n