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frequently asked questions

Please take a moment to read our Ethics Policy.

Can you remove or rescue alligators from my property or neighborhood?

We do not remove "nuisance" alligators in the states where alligators are native. If you live in an alligator range state (AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, and TX) and believe an alligator in your vicinity is a "nuisance" or danger (IF AN EMERGENCY, DIAL 911), please visit the Government Links page and choose the wildlife agency for your state or county and contact them for assistance.

We also recommend that you read the "About Alligators" and "Staying Safe" pages on this site. If, after learning more about alligators on this site you still believe an animal to be a threat, please contact your state or local agency as soon as possible.

However, if you live outside of the alligator's range states (which are AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, and TX) and you know of an alligator in need of rescue, please visit here for more information.

Are the programs clean and sanitary for my event?

The entire presentation is neat and clean, including the animals and equipment -- and even the presenters!

Why should I pay for a live program? I can get free information on this website and I can see alligators in the wild or at a zoo.

The information included on this website is only a small fraction of that offered in a live program. Furthermore, obtaining information from the Internet, a book, or a video is no comparison to the stimulation and excitement of a live, interactive experience.

Being in the presence of a live alligator, and, in some programs, actually touching or interacting with it, is an unforgettable and even inspirational event. Additionally, Israel presents the information in a way that makes it come alive, and can even answer general or specific questions from guests. We are asked all range of questions from folks who have concerns about backyard safety, boating, fishing, skiing, hiking, etc.

The live programs are also performed in the comfort and convenience of your own venue, specially catered to your preferences. This focus of attention and accommodation for your group or event cannot be matched by a park or zoo.

Of course, it is illegal and dangerous to approach or interact with an alligator in the wild, so these programs are legal, safe and close up, making them very unique.

Is the program just one kind, or can it be adapted for my group or event?

Our programs can always be adapted to the group, whether very young children (who also have short attention spans!), special needs students, or even college-level groups. For social gatherings, the program can be designed to accommodate a recreational setting, involving less or no formal speaking, and a more mingling, interactive approach. Your program can be performed for practically any application.

How much do you charge for a program?

It is difficult to state a general 'one-fits-all' price because we try hard to price a program specially for you, depending on all factors. There are multiple components of a program available to you, such as the presentation, Q & A session, and mingling, and a formal or informal photo sessions. For example, at many children's parties, because of the limited attention span of the youngsters and the nature of the occasion, our service may consist of only mingling and photo opportunities, if that is what is desired (view a pic of our dramatic, large photo backdrop).

We offer free quotes for your desired program. In some cases, a deposit may be required. You may call (863) 292.2236. If an associate is not available to take your call, simply leave a voicemail and you'll be contacted as soon as possible.

How long does a program run?

The duration of a program can be adjusted for virtually any group or event, with a minimum of one hour for certain groups or events, and a minimum of two for others. Time length also depends on what components you wish to have in your program (i.e. presentation, Q & A session, mingling, etc).

Is there a limit to the number of people who may attend a program?

Not necessarily. The larger the group, the more time will be necessary to allow any hands-on interaction, if desired. Also, it is best, when possible to divide very large groups into smaller groups throughout the day, even if for multiple days; for example, a school with 1,200 students may divide the service into a series of four programs of 300 students each.

What size alligators are featured in the program?

Your program will feature both baby and juvenile alligators. A larger alligator may be included by special request, based on certain conditions; use of a larger animal will incur an additional fee.

Do you let people hold the alligators and take pictures with them?

Yes! Your program may be designed to include photo opportunities. At parks and zoos photo packages cost $11.00 to $30.00 per photo, while your Living Among Alligators program can provide virtually unlimited photo and video opportunities for your group or event as part of your package. This is an outstanding value! (view a pic of our dramatic, large photo backdrop.) Additionally, if you have a video camera rolling, you can make your own home movie and capture still images from it.

The photo opportunities we offer for your program's guests allow them unrestricted use of their own cameras.

Can't an alligator bite or hurt someone during the program?

Our alligators are properly restrained, their jaws being carefully bound in a way that does not hurt the alligator, so that a bite cannot occur. We work carefully to insure complete safety in every moment during any kind of interaction. Not only do we consider yours and the alligator's safety a priority, we strive to preserve a reputation for safety, since the success of our programs depends on it.

Do you perform alligator wrestling?

As animal handling professionals have gained more knowledge about this reptile, they've learned that the psychological effect on the animal during a "wrestling" program, which involves a series of actions of physically and forcefully manipulating the alligator into severely unnatural (and sometimes even sustained) positions, is a very stressful one - as it would naturally be on any animal or even a person.

Furthermore, an alligator wrestler may perform stunts such as placing his head or hand into an alligator's gaping jaws; should the performer make a mistake and the alligator clamp down, the alligator may be killed or very seriously wounded by handlers if they are unable to get it to release the performer. This means that every such performance is a risk to both the animal's and handler's life or well-being.

Many types of animal handling, even of household dogs and cats, involve some measure of stress, and it should be noted that animals regularly and naturally experience stress in the wild. However, as alligator wrestling has its own purpose, questions may be raised in the mind of a conscientious person:

·Is it ethical to force an animal into certain physically extreme positions as "entertainment?"

·Is it ethical, or even necessary, to force an animal in such extreme ways for the purpose of 'education'?

·Is it healthy for society or for the promotion of conservation if animal presenters, deliberately or not, influence people, especially impressionable youth, to adopt a confrontational or violent attitude toward alligators (an element of nature) as alligator wrestling has been shown to do? 

-Is it ethical to risk an animal's life or well-being for entertainment or for an 'educational' purpose?

As these questions show, balance based on ethical considerations is called for.

Alligator wrestling, in our view, does not reflect this balance, so we do not engage in it. The practice is fading away, increasingly losing it popularity as more of the public becomes aware of the ethical considerations. Alligator wrestling is relatively uncommon, featured at a few attractions mostly in Florida. A recent effort by some alligator handlers has been made to commercially promote alligator "wrestling" as a professional sport, with the aim of creating a lucrative form of televised entertainment in our targeted-marketing, multimedia age. However, conscientious individuals with a basic knowledge of the effect of  "wrestling" on the animal are able to see that such promotions' ends do not justify their means. There is more to discuss on this issue, but this response serves as a brief address of the subject.

Don't state wildlife agencies educate the public on alligators? Is Living Among Alligators related to these agencies?

While the program is not officially tied to the state wildlife agencies, we do keep in contact with these authorities and cooperate with them whenever we're needed.

Living Among Alligators, as it is carried out in Florida, is designed to alleviate much of the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission's burden of vast public education and budget-- helping to free up the Commission, which is already extremely busy carrying out its enormous responsibilities within the state with limited budget and personnel, including public education and nuisance alligator control (the Commission gets more than 21,000 alligator complaints per year -- that's about an average of 60 per day!), in addition to all of their other responsibilities.

Living Among Alligators, with both its website and live programs, is intended to be a socially responsible venture which can save taxpayers money by cutting down on the different state wildlife agencies' budgets and exponentially increasing the dissemination of accurate information within the states in the alligator's range.

Can I get sick from touching an alligator in the program?

Our animals are kept healthy and free from contagious ailments, according to standards of zoological husbandry that in some ways exceed those required by law.

In fact, we know of no record of an illness arising from a member of the public touching an alligator in a zoo or interactive program. Statistically speaking, your odds of becoming ill (from the bacterium Salmonella, for instance) are much greater as a result of eating food from a fast food restaurant.

As an added measure, a plentiful supply of high-quality anti-bacterial hand sanitizer is made available. We ask that participants use this hand lotion not only after interacting with the alligator, but before doing so, for the protection of the animals from the pathogens we humans often carry.

Isn't it unethical to use alligators like this?

We appreciate such concern for alligators being kept in captivity and used in live programs. We are very comfortable in the knowledge that our husbandry and handling practices induce minimal stress on the animals. In the Living Among Alligators programs and in their captive habitats, these animals experience the same as or less stress than they would in the wild, where they are constantly evading larger predators, enduring colder temperatures, and coping with other unfavorable conditions.

The alligators in Living Among Alligators are desensitized to human contact and handling; that is, they are conditioned behaviorally to become accustomed to the presence of humans and being handled. Our refined practices are based on years of experience and on records of crocodilian behavior from other zoological institutions' time-tested experience. Additionally, our handlers personally attend each animal and do not allow over-handling or mishandling by anyone.

As noted above, we ask that participants in our program interacting with the alligators use anti-bacterial hand lotion before handling the alligator in order to minimize the transference of various pathogens we humans often carry.

Furthermore, the value of the alligators' "ambassadorship" to the human world, properly carried out, serves to contribute to the improvement of relations between these worlds; it promotes the good of their species, our own quality of life, and the considerate treatment of our environment - which is to our own - and the animals' -  benefit.

We believe that the approach, as described here, is ethical and balanced.

Where do you get your alligators from?

The alligators we use in our programs are either animals rescued from around the country (some were kept as "pets" and abandoned or given up by the owners) or come from a licensed alligator facility.

Can we buy an alligator from you?

We are alligator presenters rather than merchants. Please note that it is illegal to buy, sell or possess (or approach or harass) an alligator in any state where it naturally lives and in many other states and cities, without a license or permit. The animal must be kept by a qualified expert(s) in a qualified facility. Besides this, these animals make the very worst "pets."

Do I need to have a permit or license to have alligators at my event?

A permit or license, whether issued by local, state or federal governmental authority, is entirely the responsibility of Crocodopolis, the entity presenting your Living Among Alligators program at any location, and we are fully licensed.

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