Published: May 31, 2007 10:10 am      

Gator Country offers walk on the wild side

A game of tug-of-war with a 1,000-pound alligator is something you just do not see very often.

However, that is exactly what it took to get “Big Al”, the 13 foot, four-inch star of Gator Country out of his pond and onto a special platform for a special event last Sunday.

“I had wanted to get Al out for people to get pictures with him for some time now. People are just amazed by him and rightfully so. He is the largest alligator in captivity in Texas and is somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 years old. He is truly a marvel of nature, said Gary Saurage, co-owner of Gator Country, located west of Beaumont.

“We knew we could subdue him in such a way that wasn‚t too uncomfortable for him and safe for people, but the interesting part was going to be getting him out of the pond,” he added.

In the end, it took six men and a cooperative Al to make the event happen, although things did not look good at first.

“Al bowed up and looked pretty unhappy at first, but then he eased up and made it all possible. If he really didn’t want it to happen, it would not have happened,” Saurage said.

From 11 a.m.-2 p.m., people had a chance to get their photograph taken with Big Al and reactions from the patrons ranged from slightly frightened to downright happy.

“Most of the kids walked right up to him and just sat down and got a photo taken with a big smile of their face. It was great for them to have that once in a lifetime opportunity,” Saurage said.

Gator Country is in its second year of operation and features opportunities to witness a unique alligator feeding show, feed gators from a safe distance on the comfort of a large high-rise pier and even a chance to hold small alligators for a photo opportunity.

"We want people to be able to have the experience of being close to an alligator in a safe environment. It allows us to get a conservation message across about the importance of alligators to wetlands and also to address safe behavior around wild alligators," Saurage said.

"We let the kids and adults know that you shouldn‚t feed wild alligators and to respect them for what they are: an efficient predator one of our most interesting local animals," he said.

For me the highlight of the day was watching the Gator Country team feed the big alligators by hand. It is definitely not something you want to try at home but watching these guys who intimately understand the body language of alligators is downright amazing.

"It's all in watching the body movements and understanding them. A lot of people think our alligators are tame, but that‚s just not true. We do condition them to certain things through repetition but they are not tame. You cannot really tame an alligator, so no one should try," Saurage said.

Alligators are not the only reptiles at Gator Country. There is also a pair of giant snapping turtles that are quite impressive in their own right. The largest has a three-foot long shell and weighs around 105 pounds. They can get quite a bit bigger but it is extremely rare to find them in the wild nowadays.

They are on the state‚s list of threatened species so seeing them here is probably your best chance for an encounter.

If you find yourself in the mood to hold an alligator or to bring your kids out to encounter them in a safe, fun environment, try Gator Country. It‚s loads of fun.

For more information, call 409-794-WILD or go to http://www.gatorcountrytx.com.

(To contact Chester Moore, e-mail him at saltwater@fishgame.com. You can hear him on the radio Fridays from 6-7 p.m. on Newstalk AM 560 KLVI or online at www.klvi.com.)