ORLANDO, Fla. — Behind the gates at Gatorland is some pretty daring stuff that's done to keep their alligators happy. So Spectrum News's Allison Walker got into an area that's off-limits to the public to see what enrichment is all about.
Brandon Fisher is a straight up gator expert. Thanks to him, Allison got to open the “keep out” chains and watch him engage with the theme park's monstrous creatures.
Right after high school, Fisher auditioned for a gig at Gatorland. “Doing the shows, handling the snakes, playing around with the alligators,” he recalled. “I auditioned, beat out six people, and the rest is history.”
Armed with a bucket of poultry and other meats, Fisher escorted us to the shore, where some of Gatorland's biggest and oldest gators anxiously crept toward him. There are nearly 150 of them, and Fisher knows most of their names. They also recognize Fisher's voice, like Buddy. Buddy is the biggest (13 feet, 8 inches) and oldest gator, at 50 years old. “He already hears me. He's already coming over here.”
In addition to meat, Fisher lets the alligators chomp on watermelons, and even pumpkins in the fall. That sure does catch the guests' attention, watching from the boardwalk.
Fisher has also played the well-known character Bubba, and was also a big part of the Gator Jumparoo Show. Gatorland is family-owned and opened way back in 1949.