Meet Betty, the Friendly Wild Alligator That Comes When Called

You probably wouldn’t think to put the words “friendly” and “wild alligator” in the same sentence but as you’ll see in the video at the bottom of the page, somehow it works! Although wild alligators can’t be referred to as ‘friendly,’ the gator, Betty, in this clip is part of six gators that live in a sanctuary. Some of them have been rescued and returned while others are domestic.

Are Alligators Intelligent?

Alligators are, to the surprise of many, quite intelligent. They’ve demonstrated their know-how by using tools and they also demonstrate their understanding of their roles as parents. They’re known for being highly attentive to their young for longer than many other wildlife species, keeping them close for up to three years. When they interact with humans regularly, the way rescued alligators do, they develop a trusting bond. They also learn to limit their aggressive behavior, mainly if they know they’re rewarded with food.

Can Alligators Be Friendly?

A fully wild alligator you encounter living on its own does not know how to be friendly toward humans. Usually, alligators avoid humans, but they may get aggressive if they perceive a human as a threat. However, an alligator that has had repeated interactions with humans can be ‘trained’ via conditioning. For instance, if an alligator learns that humans bring them food regularly, they learn to quell their behavior and can bond with the human, which can be perceived as friendly. Ultimately, alligators are gaining something out of the interaction, which works for all parties.

Meet Betty, the Friendly Alligator

This video starts with several people behind the camera excitedly calling over an alligator in the water. “Come here, sweetheart,” says a man as the alligator responds by swimming closer. The man holds up some raw meat close to the gator, but she doesn’t seem interested. “We haven’t fed her in a month,” he continues, as he grabs his paddle to navigate the boat and get her attention. He mentions to the crew on board that he’s probably going to have to feed her with a stick, though he usually uses his hand.

He’s right because as soon as he puts the stick out with the meat at the end of it, she chomps down. “Is that good, baby?” he asks. He lets her know there’s more and calls her back. She turns around and comes back to take the food from his hand this time. He pets her on the top of her head. The next time, he makes her crawl halfway up onto the boat for her meaty reward and she follows through. There’s only laughter on the boat as they continue interacting with this rather friendly gator. He does tease her a few times, confident in her behavior, and she remarkably responds each time he calls her over.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Steve Byland/Shutterstock.com