I have many friends ask me why I find reptiles fascinating. There are many factors, but one of my favorite reasons is how successful these creatures are. Reptiles have been on Earth for over 275 million years, and are incredible survivors. The adaptability and ability for them to go on, many of them unchanged, for so long, makes them some of the most intriguing creatures around. Reptiles are found on every continent except Antartica. There are rattlesnakes found at extreme elevations of 16,000 feet in the Himalayan Mountains of Asia, as well as Seaturtles that are able to create heat in their bodies from muscular activity as they dive to extreme depths of over 2,000 feet.

Although I could go on forever about how amazing this class of animals are, my true passion in life revolves around crocodilians. Of course, they are amazing in their own regard. They are the largest members of the Reptile Class. They have a four chambered heart (most reptiles have three). They also are now finding out through DNA and behavioral studies that they are mainly monogamous and are great parents. However, my favorite thing about crocodilians, and Gators particularly, are their ability to form bonds with a natural enemy-me. Of all of the animals that I have cared for, it is no secret that I have a very good rapport with the gators I know. These lumbering beasts have a weakness for a soft spoken blonde. It makes me think that as much as we now know about these animals, that we have so much more to learn. When I am not even training our White Alligator, and he is on land, I will talk to him about my daily nonsense, and his eyes will dilate. His whole body relaxes. This is not a normal response for him when I am not around. He has been known to lunge and hiss at other members of staff, especially men. What could our unlikely friendship mean for Crocodilian kind? I ask myself this often, and hope that we will be able to at least learn more about them, before some of the members of Crocodylia dissapear from our earth completely. I say a prayer for them as often as I can. It will take divine intervention to keep our crocs, and many other of our keystone predators alive to see the next century.