Posted on 08/07/2018 7:05:39 AM PDT by ETL
Makenzie Noland celebrated her upcoming college graduation by posing in her cap and stole with her good friend "Big Tex" — a nearly 14-foot-long alligator that lives in a wildlife sanctuary in Beaumont, Texas.
The soon-to-be Texas A&M University grad has been living at Gator Country for the past three months as she interns with the organization. During her time at the wildlife rescue, Noland has bonded with many of the 370 alligators on site, specifically Tex.
Over the past several months, Noland has been training with Tex — under the careful supervision of alligator experts.
"Tex is the one who let me into his pond. He does pick favorites, and I'm honored he likes me enough to let me get in there and play with him every day," Noland, 21, told Fox News.
Noland likens the gentle giant to a "puppy," as he often follows commands in order to get treats.
"Whenever you're training a puppy, you commend them for sitting down and give them a treat," Noland explained. "When I'm telling Tex to 'come here' using a hand motion I will reward him, tickle his nose and toss food in his mouth."
Noland's close bond with Tex influenced her decision to feature him in her graduation pictures. After all, the wildlife ecology major wanted to showcase her passion for animals — gators in particular.
"Every single time I get in the water with him I realize how huge of a creaturen he is. He's a real life dinosaur," Noland said, adding that she was honored to get the opportunity to work with him.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
And a 13-footer? If and when that gator decides she's food, she doesn't stand a chance.
Count your blessings and move on.
How did she graduate? Not real bright.
She is a beauty. Has she ever heard of Steve Irwin?
He’s just waiting for her to put on a little weight so as to be worth the effort of eating her.
“Noland has bonded with many of the 370 alligators on site, specifically Tex.”
The only way can bond with an alligator is after they have gone through the gator’s digestive tract.
RTFA
Reptiles came before dinosaurs.
Birds are real life dinosaurs.
Timothy Treadwell and Steve Irwin were positive thinkers.
As long as she doesn’t teach him to roll over. Isn’t that what they do after chomping on their prey to disorient them?
From what I have read...gators may not be dinosaurs...closely related....maybe in same broad family...either way...dont forget seigfried and roy...ya dummy...
He died in 2006, so she would have been about 10..................
Yeah, I know it’s an alligator, but...
Never smile at a crocodile
No, you can’t get friendly with a crocodile
Don’t be taken in by his welcome grin
He’s imagining how well you’d fit within his skin
Never smile at a crocodile
Never tip your hat and stop to talk awhile
Never run, walk away, say good-night, not good-day
Clear the aisle but never smile at Mister Crocodile.
“Amos Moses”
Yeah here comes Amos
Now Amos Moses was a Cajun he lived by himself in the swamp
He hunted alligators for a livin’ he’d just knock ‘em in the head with a stump
The Louisiana law’s gonna get ya Amos
It ain’t legal huntin’ alligators down in the swamp boy
Now everybody blames his old man for makin’ him mean as a snake
When Amos Moses was a boy his daddy would use him for alligator bait
Tie a rope around his waist and throw him in the swamp ha ha ha
Alligator bait in the Louisiana bayou
About forty five minutes southeast of Thibodaux Louisiana
Lived a man called Doc Millsap and his pretty wife Hannah
Well they raised up a son that could eat up his weight in groc’ries
Named him after the man of the cloth called him Amos Moses
Yeah ha ha
Now all the folks around south Louisiana said Amos was a hell of a man
He could trap the biggest the meanest alligator and just use one hand
That’s all he got left cause the alligator bit him ha ha ha
Left arm gone clean up to the elbow
Well the sheriff got wind that Amos was in the swamp trappin’ alligator skins
So he snuck in the swamp gonna get the boy but he never come out again
Well I wonder where the Louisiana sheriff went to
Well you can sure get lost in the Louisiana bayou
About forty five minutes southeast of Thibodaux Louisiana
Lived a cat called Doc Millsap and his pretty wife Hannah
Well they raised up a son that could eat up his weight in groc’ries
Named him after a man of the cloth called him Amos Moses
Sit down on ‘em Amos make it count son
About forty five minutes southeast of Thibodaux Louisiana
Lived a cat called Doc Millsap and his pretty wife Hannah
I did, does it contradict my comment?
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present our latest Darwin Award nominee...
She’s 21 y/o, so too late for CPS to have a say in it.
While I admire the fearlessness of people who do this, and the St. Francis type of bond she seems to have, the overall danger is fully breathtaking.
We need our brave or curious people. They make good zoologists, veterinarians, anthropologist historians and yes, entertainers.
Last week, actress Nicole Kidman was seen on YouTube capturing a GIGANTIC black furry spider as it tried to climb into her swimming pool. Her children pleaded with her to step away from it, but Nicole was calm, and put the nasty thing into a big glass jar to ‘save it’.
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