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PrintLiving It Up: Everglades Safari
Get the bug spray ready. You won't see any tourists on this Everglades Safari. Tonight, we're Living It Up in some very murky waters as Jackie goes after some real Florida gators.
(WSVN) -- We are Living It Up at Everglades Safari, today we're going to be learning how to drive an airboat and we are also going to be capturing an alligator, let's get on the boat and let's head out.
Jackie: "I'm ready, the engines are roaring, getting ready to take off, I'm excited."
Steve: "Basically on turning these airboats, it's pretty simple. This operates the rudders in the back like the tail of an airplane, so if you are going to turn right, you do like your shoulder would do, you're turning right."
Steve: "You can get in the captain's seat."
Steve: "Never stop the boat going sideways because if you do you can flip the boat."
Jackie: "I don't want to do that, not in alligator infested water."
Steve: "Get into it slow."
Steve: "I stopped here because as you can see we have 2 alligators."
Steve: "They'll live in the same area their whole life, this is the season where you will see mating and they can be very agressive at this time."
Jackie: "What do they normally eat?"
Steve: "They mostly eat fish, they eat snakes, turtles, birds, any kind of meat that they can get a hold of."
Jackie: "This big 9 ft alligator right here, it's nickname is Jumper, so therefore I'm going to stand a little bit further back."
Jackie: "If he were to bite your hand?"
Steve: "It would just crush it. What they do is they bite down and then they spin with their muscular body and rip the parts off, that's how they kill."
Jackie: "Now for the second part of our safari, we are at the wild alligator pen, and what are we going to be doing here?"
Jose: "We are going to be capturing an alligator that's outgrown the pen and is beating up on other alligators and we're actually going to be realeasing him into a nice bigger environment where it's more suitable for his size."
Jose: "Put your body around the center there, hold him tight, real tight."
Jose: "This is an American alligator, king of the jungle and the Everglades."
Jackie: "How much would you say this guy weighs?"
Jose: "About 65-70 pounds, all muscle."
Jose: "Alright Jackie now I'm going to need your assistance to release the mouth."
Jackie: "So that's what it's like Living It Up on the Everglades Safari. I'm Jackie Johnson 7 News."
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: jjohnson@wsvn.com
EVERGLADES SAFARI PARK
305 226 6923
26700 sw 8th st
Miami, Fl 33194