It's not in the UK, it's in Ireland. But I agree, I hate this kind of macho posturing with dangerous animals. Leave them alone and let them be animals.
The Republic of Ireland is not in the UK. Exactly and using a trashy tabloid model to promote it says a lot!
no she is a tabloid model that likes to pose naked with the "zoo's" snakes EMMA RANT IS SPOT ON Amanda Brunker, celebrity, people, gossip and showbiz news from Ireland's entertainment world
she is friends with the zoo's owner, and she does seem to know what she's talking about. Just because she's a model doesn't mean she's not actually interested in/cares about animals. I found this article about/by her: Taking on a slippery issue -Independent.ie I don't know anything about the zoo itself so I won't comment on that
I found time to watch the video just now. The title of this thread seems a bit off: they don't mention anywhere about the zoo allowing visitors to swim with alligators as if it was some sort of "encounter". It is more a publicity thing than anything else, using a friend of the owner - not just a random zoo visitor. However I don't quite understand the reasoning behind picking the alligator up ("to estimate its weight": perhaps some scales might help there )! The zoo itself seems perfectly serviceable, although as always with reptiles the terrariums aren't overly large, but neither do they seem excessively small. The girl does come across as a little bit of an airhead, but at the same time she does also seem enthusiastic and seems to know her stuff. And Irish accents are pretty hot, so that also helps
The title is quite accurate Chilidonias you can in fact book to swim with alligators! Is swimming with Alligators on your bucket list? Whilst swimming with Dolphins or sealions is generally the most common activity involving people getting in the water with captive animals. I think it is fair to say that the intelligent mammals understand at the very least that if the humans get in the water they receive a treat, therefore a positive experience for them. I doubt the Alligators have any such sentiment as to visitors getting in their territory as they see it and picking them up. I think this is detrimental to the animals well being and is a disaster waiting to happen! Even these new swim with sharks encounters are done from within the safety of a shark cage, no matter how harmless the sharks are. This Alligator encounter relies on a man to control a wild animals. It is reminiscent of Craig Bush at Zion Gardens or Tiger Temple. Something I think any self respecting legitimate zoological institution should shy away from. This is macho ego building exercise that is purely in place to make money! I discovered online that the model is known for taking snakes into loud nightclubs and dancing with them whilst breathing fire! I found her article on irresponsible pet keepers quite hypocritical! A concerned reptile keeper? I think Emma Quinlan is part of the problem!
