A terrifying close encounter between a worker and a hungry alligator was captured on video last week.
Posted to Facebook by the Colorado Gator Farm in Mosca, Colorado, the clip shows an educational demonstration in which employees of the park feed the resident alligators in front of a crowd.
The gator in the hot seat this time was a 600 pound, 12-foot-long male named Elvis, who was apparently eager to secure his snack. After a brief preface by another employee, a worker identified as Chad can be seen in the video wading ankle-deep into the water towards the waiting Elvis.
Holding a full raw turkey, Chad approaches and reaches forward to toss the meal to the gator. His aim isn’t precise, however, and he isn’t fast enough for the impatient Elvis, who grabs the turkey momentarily before lunging towards Chad.
Chad loses his balance attempting to back up and falls onto the grassy bank bordering the water. Elvis, seemingly losing his patience, spots Chad’s leg still dangling and makes a break for the man, chasing him to the edge of the pond.
The man pulls his leg away just in the nick of time, but Elvis is persistent and climbs onto land, chomping after Chad until a fellow worker intervenes and steps between the two, placing a hand on the gator’s snout. This stops Elvis who, according to the gator farm’s post, was simply focused on tracking “where he saw movement” after the turkey he really wanted to eat did not land in his mouth.
“Over the weekend Elvis had a hard time deciding if he wanted to eat turkey or Chad’s legs, “joked one post from July 24. “Who knew a 12 ft 600lb alligator could run so fast.”
In a follow up post on July 25, the farm reassured viewers that Chad was okay and thanked him for giving viewers “something fun to watch.” They also pointed to the video as a prime example as to why they always work with backup in case something goes wrong.
“[Chad] wasn’t injured,” read the post, “and he promised to work on his turkey throwing aim.”
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Gator safety
For those living in alligator territory, experts at Gator World Parks suggest a few tips for keeping safe around these prehistoric creatures.
- Do not approach a gator. Stay at least 30 feet back and back away even further if they begin to hiss at or move towards you. Do not assume they can’t catch you if you run. American alligators can move up to 30 mph on land in short bursts.
- Know when and where gators like to hang out. They are most active between dusk and dawn and prefer sunbathing along water banks during the day. Avoid swimming or hanging around these locations and at these times.
- Do not fish near alligators and move away from a fishing spot if one approaches. Do not ever feed gators. Dispose of leftover scraps from fish, bait and food in proper containers and do not throw them back into the water or leave them near the water’s edge.
- Do not allow pets or children to swim in, drink from or approach bodies of water known to have alligators present. If you live in an area with a lot of gator activity, take precautions such as monitoring pets when they are outside or building fences at least four and a half feet tall.
- Avoid locations near bodies of water that may be nests. Female alligators will become abnormally aggressive to protect them. Keep an eye out for collections of twigs, grass and disturbed soil and steer clear if you see them.
