Homestead Fl. For Jonathan Shoemaker it is just another Friday at the office. 

Shoemaker the wildlife handler at the Everglades Alligator Farm is one brave soul.

He spends the afternoon wowing audiences with snake shows subjecting volunteers to up close and personal encounters with constrictors and various other species.

However it is the main attraction the alligator show that wows audiences.

Shoe drags about a 10-foot alligator from a mud hole taunts it dodges its bite then finally jumps on the gator from behind as the audiences gasps.


At first glance this place just outside Everglades National Park could be mistaken for a piece of South Louisiana except for some other natives.

The everglades Shoe explains is the only place on earth where you’re going to find alligators and crocodiles living together in the wild.

Begun almost 30 years ago as a real working farm the Everglades Alligator Farm has transformed into a tourist attraction offering up close encounters with gators Nile and American crocodiles and air boat rides into the glades.

They don’t have to kill the alligators to make money any more explained Shoemaker.  They can just sell air boat tickets and let people walk around the park.

Andrey Zieminiski of Warsaw Poland saw the everglades 12 years ago and has brought his family here to expose his two small children to this wonder of nature.