A life-long naturalist, the Dupont is also an accomplished actor, director, classical vocalist, writer, lecturer, artist and television host.

Born, raised and educated in the Everglades region of South Florida, he spent much of his childhood immersed in the natural world, traveling the forests, marshes and swamps of the southeastern United States, habitat of the storied American Alligator.

He began his career of keeping crocodilians and other exotic animals in early childhood as part of his family's commercial and private operations, and has continued doing so into adulthood. In his youth, he traveled the state of Florida with family collecting reptiles and amphibians, among many other fauna and flora.

Israel is a veteran speaker, having delivered his very first public lecture at the tender age of six. He has lectured to school groups, local citizens and international tourists about crocodilians, reptiles, Florida ecology and related subjects; and as a keeper and curator of animals has worked with  his family’s own ventures, as well as at various zoological and wildlife parks throughout Florida.

Israel has performed countless television and print media interviews and crocodilian/reptile media interactions. His work with zoos has included pioneering crocodilian interaction programs, conducting conservation and alligator safety programs for many thousands of students, and establishing crocodilian husbandry and safety policy and procedure management guidelines.

In the photo at left, Israel examines a New Guinea Crocodile.

As a writer, he has written for local newspapers about Florida wildlife, and continuously publishes on various reptile and crocodilian subjects for Internet publications. His experience as a youth counselor and instructor has served his endeavors in live animal programming for students.

In the realm of the formal arts, he's won national stage acting awards and co-founded a non-profit professional theatre company in southern Florida in 1997, winning accolades from theatre critics and audiences alike.

In September 2006 he premiered the website, Crocodopolis, which features information on the living crocodilians of the world and appeals mostly to professionals and enthusiasts. The site is presented in 'Beta' mode, and is slated to be given a full makeover in the coming months and marketed to the general public worldwide. In late 2007, Dupont co-founded the first herpetoculture-subject television channel on the Internet, with the goal of offering -- free to the public -- video programming on the proper care of captive reptiles and amphibians, as well as on conservation and adventure subjects.

One of his recent projects was co-hosting with and producing and writing for wildlife television star Nigel Marven in a new international educational awareness campaign, Reptiles and Amphibians Reign (see image at right).

In 2007, he co-founded Croc Rescue Network, an international network which assists in placing unwanted alligators, crocodiles and caimans, in the U.S. and other countries, in qualified facilities.

Recognized for his contributions to conservation worldwide, Israel was appointed a member of the IUCN (World Conservation Union), founded by the United Nations. Israel participates in the IUCN's Species Survival Commission (SSC) Crocodile Specialist Group, the international organization dedicated to the conservation of all 25 crocodilian species. Israel is also a member of the Zoological Association of America and the International Reptile Conservation Foundation.

Israel resides in the city of Winter Haven, located in central Florida.

Israel in January, 2006, as keeper of one of the world's largest captive alligators. The reptile, named 'Chester,' measured 13 ft.-4.5 in./ 4.3 m, and weighed 910 lb./413 kg. The massive 'gator was captured by State "nuisance" alligator trappers in a Tampa area neighborhood in 2002. Chester was spared the unfortunate legal penalty of death and relocated to a wildlife attraction.