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In Colorado, Learn to Wrestle an Alligator

Theo Stroomer
/
New York Times

Llooking for something to do this weekend? Why not head out to southern Colorado and wrestle an alligator?  The New York Timesrecently profiled the Colorado Gators Reptile Park in the San Luis Valle. At the park, people of all ages engage in gator grappling.

The San Luis Valley is a vast alpine desert in Southern Colorado. Residents know it as one of the weirdest patches of the West. You can even take a class in gator wrangling. For a hundred bucks, the reptile park offers a three-hour alligator wrestling course.

In the class, students learn techniques for grappling with the carnivorous reptiles. The gator residents of the park have names like Pitbull, Darth Gator and Sir Chomps-a-lot. Critics assert that the park is a cruel gimmick that exploits the animals.  But most of the residents like that it brings tourist dollars into a part of the state that is otherwise isolated and lagging behind in the economic boom.