Senior takes graduation photos with one of her ‘best friends’ — a giant Texas gator

[bcr229]

Nope. Nope nope nope nope! I'll stick with large constrictors thank you!



Makenzie Alexis Noland was right when she said this is “not your typical graduation picture.”

While she was wearing her Texas A&M graduation cap and stole — quite typical for senior photos — there was one 13-foot-8-inch difference in her photographs.

Yes, we’re talking about the huge Texas alligator, and his name is Big Tex.

The Texas-sized gator weighs about 1,000 pounds and holds the national record for the “largest live-captured nuisance alligator,” according to Gator Country, which is where Big Tex now lives.

But Noland didn’t take her photos with Big Tex just for the fun of it.

“He’s one of my best friends here,” the soon to be Aggies alumna told KTXS.

Noland told The Wichita Eagle that she has been getting to know Big Tex since May 17 as part of her 3-month internship with the alligator adventure park and sanctuary. She’ll be graduating with a degree in wildlife ecology this week.

“It’s something I’m super proud of,” she told The Eagle in reference to her gator senior photos, because she and Big Tex were not best friends from the start.

“It took him a few weeks for him to like me,” she said. When she first started working with him, she would stay outside of the fence. But as time went on and as they both got more comfortable with each other, she would start “scooting closer.”

Then they got a lot closer, just like someone might be with their fluffy puppy.

“It’s just like how your dog would treat you if you treat him well,” Noland told The Eagle.

It was only a matter of time — a few weeks, to be exact — before she was tickling his nose and giving him food and kisses. Oh, and balancing her class ring on his nose.

And if she wants him to raise out of the water — just like in her “thumbs up” photo — all she has to say is, “Up, up, up.”

Noland said she is very careful around Big Tex, and her boss, Arlie Hammonds, keeps a close eye on the not-so-expected pair of friends. Hammonds “waded chest deep in the water” to take photos of the best friends.

“I have a good relationship with Big Tex,” she said. “We’re gentle with him.”

In fact, Big Tex has actually always been a friendly gator, she said.

The alligator was caught at Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge in Oct. 2016 because he had become “a little too friendly,” according to a Facebook post from the refuge.

Big Tex had “lost his fear of humans” because people were feeding him, the post said.

“While the animal had not aggressively attacked anyone yet, it was considered a little too close for comfort,” the post said. So, he was caught and gets to “live the remainder of his life at Gator Country.”

Noland said she’ll graduate Friday in College Station, and she hopes to find a job at a zoo in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

https://www.kansas.com/news/nation-w...216159170.html

[RickyNY]

Oh yeah, me too bcr!

[Skyrivers]

Something so sexy about a beautiful girl taking a photo petting a huge alligator. Braver than me by far.

[JodanOrNoDan]

Pretty girl, but it must have been an exceptionally hot day in Texas. Doesn't seem her brain is working so good. This is not brave, it is stupid. You don't screw around with gators.

[Avsha531]

I think that's super cool, thanks for sharing!

[Bogertophis]

Not for me either...I draw the line at cuddling rattlesnakes... I so hope she has a long & healthy career anyway.

[Craiga 01453]

They say everything is bigger in Texas, and apparently this girls, ummmm...courage...are much bigger than mine. You wouldn't catch me that close.

[JodanOrNoDan]

My version, i'm prettier and smarter rofl.

[Craiga 01453]

My version, i'm prettier and smarter rofl.

Ha! That's awesome! Well played, sir. Well played.

[Jakethesnake69]

She must be OK. Didn’t read about any hot young graduates being eaten still about 50 feet closer than I would ever care to be. Hope she has a long and prosperous life with a little less risk. That second photo could be as risky as I get and even that guy could do some damage I’m sure.