13-Year-Old Girl Wrangles Deadly Gators | BEAST BUDDIES

A DARING group of alligator wranglers are proving that age is just a number – with a 13-year-old girl joining their ranks. General Manager, Jay Young, 45, heads up the Colorado Gator Farm with the help of his family and close friends. With the conservation of animals at the core of their sanctuary, Jay houses close to 300 gators on his 80-acre site and he interacts with them all, even Elvis – a colossal gator weighing 650lbs. Jay and his team only wrangle the gators when there is a need to do so. And when it comes to the smaller gators, Jay’s 13-year-old niece, Addie, helps out with the potentially deadly task. Jay told Beastly: “Addie is only 13, but she loves playing with the smaller alligators, the snakes and lizards. With me, I’ve never been smart enough to be afraid of the alligators. If you’re scared, you shouldn’t be around. Fear causes hesitation, which will cause your worst fears to come true.” The majority of animals on site are rescues, something that Jay takes great pride in. When interacting with giant gators on a daily basis, there is an inevitable sense of danger that comes with their work. “If you’re afraid, you’re going to panic and make mistakes,” Jay said. “Even if you get bit, you can’t panic. We get minor scratches and have had worse injuries that require stitches and antibiotics.” The farm is open to the public and Jay admits they get thousands of visitors who stop by to see their animals. With more than 13,000 followers on their Facebook page, they have also amassed quite the following online. Jay remains level-headed and thankful for the team he has around him – Jay’s number one priority will always be his animals. He said: “We’re trying to have a sustainable eco-system here, recycling everything and growing food for all the animals here ourselves. It’s all about being responsible stewards – not just to the earth, but to the animals.”