Gulf Coast Gator Ranch and Tours

Alligator safety is something that seldom crosses our minds.

Tim Parker works in the wild as a boat captain and tour guide at Gulf Coast Gator Ranch and Tours in Moss Point. While some may say he puts his life on the line each day on the job, Parker knows firsthand how to handle alligators and loves to share what he’s learned about these reptilian creatures the past 13 years at the ranch. “They’re a very misunderstood creature and there is a lot of history behind them. They have been here for millions of years. Learn to respect them.”

Parker and fellow tour guide Mike Chisolm know all too well the fascination most people have when it comes to gators, especially considering the visitors who come from all over the world to experience the ranch and swamp tour where people are safe and in a controlled, educational environment.  “We education people so much. We have so many people all of the time that have no idea. One of our jobs is to educate them. It’s not about the money or the job or the reputation. You just have to love what you do,” said Chisolm.

The experts at the Gulf Coast Gator Ranch and Tours tell News 25 it’s all about respect. The worst thing you can do is feed an alligator when it’s not a controlled environment. “If you don’t know the do’s and don’ts about alligators then that is just an accident waiting to happen,” said Parker.

Out in the wild, things can turn deadly in the blink of an eye, like they did at a nature park in Sanders, Florida where a gator attacked a woman walking with her dogs two weeks ago, killing her and injuring one of the dogs.

While gators have killed and eaten some pets in our state, so far there is no record of a fatal gator attack on a human in Mississippi. “When you are in a habitat where there are alligators, it is best to be aware of your surroundings. Most of the time, an alligator will hiss at you to let you know you’re getting too close and so you can back off,” said Parker.

Just one of many lessons these tour guides and ranch workers hope visitors will hold on to after they experience the wilderness and wonders of these ancient creatures in the swamps of Jackson County.