Donny getting friendly with a baby gator grunt

DONNY ALDARELLI
Joined the E-Team: May 17th, 2007
Age: 22

What made you want to become a gator wrestler; was there a particular experience that helped you make this decision?

Well, I was tired of working at places that didn’t make me happy. I always had a passion for animals and as a kid catching snakes and reptiles was something I really enjoyed doing so what better than working with alligators at Gatorland. Here I really get the best of both worlds, working at a place I love and doing something I love.

What was the craziest thing that has ever happened to you at Gatorland?

One morning I went into work everyone was really bossy towards me. They were moving a really big snake enclosure, and it needed all six of the entertainers to help. When I got down to the Upclose room, (where we keep the animals we use for some of our shows), I was asked to transfer a venomous snake from one box to another. When I opened the box a squirrel popped out! It scared the heck out of me. The guys had caught one earlier that day and put it in there as a joke. We let the cute little squirrel go back into the wild but it took a while to get back my composure.

What is your favorite alligator at Gatorland and why?

Marian. She is my favorite alligator because she acts crazy every time you try to wrestle her. She spins and rolls… basically just tries to eat you!

If you had a choice to travel anywhere in the world to study animals, where would you go and what animal would you study?

I would travel to Africa to study big cats, i.e. lions, cheetahs, etc.

What is the best part of working here at Gatorland?

The best part is working with the friends that I have made in Entertainment and teaching the guest more about the animals we have at Gatorland.

Have you ever had any close calls working with alligators or any other animal here at Gatorland?

Yes, while I was training to be a wrestler I almost got bit in the face. That was a close call for sure!

What made you interested in alligators/reptiles?

Growing up around them and seeing them on T.V.

What kind of pets do you have at home?

I have a Green Anaconda, Amazon Tree Boa, Albino Burmese Python, Rat snake and a Black Throat Monitor.

Why those pets?

Well, because two of them are going to grow to be 20 feet or over (hopefully) and because I love reptiles as pets.

What kind of hobbies do you have?

I like playing Halo 3, playing pool, canoeing, finding snakes out in the woods, (don’t do this unless you really know your snakes), playing paintball and………….sleeping.

Do you have any special talents?
I can eat 7 saltine crackers in under a minute…really I can!

Do you have someone who inspired you to get in to this field?

Yes, Steve Irwin, and the great Shaun Foster, (he’s a friend and one of the other gator wrestlers here at Gatorland.)

What was your last job?

I was a cook at a local restaurant.

If there was one thing you would like for our guests to know about you, what would that be?

Well, I am probably one of the happiest guys you will ever meet. I hope I bring a little laughter into the guest lives while they are visiting us.

What is the hardest part of your job as a Gatorland Entertainer?

One thing that is hard is not laughing in the Jumparoo Show. Those guys are funny! But I would have to say the hardest thing is leaving at the end of the day.

Kenny as Bubba in the “Jumparoo Show”

KENNY DANBERRY
Joined the E-Team: July 6th, 2006
Age: 32
College Major: Zoology

You wanted to be a Gatorland Entertainer for a long time. What happened and how did you finely become a part of the team?

I first put an application in when I graduated high school. The problem was I was leaving for Marine Corps boot camp two months later. So I got no response back. When I got out of the Marines I immediately applied and unfortunately I didn’t get a call back again. I began a thirteen year career in retail, working for large home improvement stores. I finally woke up and decided the customer wasn’t always right. I was miserable and wanted to work with animals as a career. I saw an ad in the local paper saying that Gatorland was looking for entertainers and I rushed at the opportunity. It was one of the most exciting days of my life. Finally, I was one of the Gatorland staff.

Do you have someone who inspired you to get in to this field?

When I was in elementary school a gentleman named Okefenokee
Joe came to the school and showed my class all these cool reptiles. That got me interested.

What made you want to become a Gator Wrestler?

Well,………..IT’S PRETTY MUCH THE COOLEST JOB EVER! It is an absolute honor to be in the elite group of people who can call themselves gator wrestlers.

What is your favorite alligator at Gatorland and why?

Well, it’s not actually a gator. It is an American Crocodile named “Bruno”. We got real close after the gift shop fire. When I say “Close” I mean that he brushed against my leg as I was up to my chest in water in the main lake. It scared me pretty bad. Since then I love seeing that crocodile.

Gatorland Entertainers do a little bit of everything, even drive the train and that requires you to be a jack-of-all-trades. Tell us a little about that part of your job.

I try to get involved with a variety of things here at Gatorland. Besides doing shows, I write the schedules and help write the daily show schedules. I also do off-property shows for our Marketing Department. There is always something to do around the park. I love all the opportunities I’m given to learn something new.

One of the roles you play at Gatorland is Bubba in the “Jumparoo Show”. What are some of your favorite moments on stage with the gators and other performers?

I am addicted to the rush of a high jump. The closer the gator or crocodile gets to me, the better the show is for the audience. One of the best moments for me, is when a jump gets real close to my hand and the audience freaks out and gets scared for my safety. I thrive off of the crowd reaction. The more they like the show, the more I want the jumps to get higher and closer to my hand.

What was the craziest thing that has ever happened to you with wild animals?

Going back to the weeks after the gift shop fire, we were moving gators and crocodiles away from the debris area of the fire. I was wading in the water up to my chest with a pole. I was pushing the pole to the bottom of the lake looking for soft spots that might be gators. All of a sudden I felt a large animal brush against my leg and push me out of the way. That animal was “Bruno”, a thirteen foot American crocodile. I screamed to Tim Williams “The Dean of Gator Wrestling” and told him what just happened. He replied to me, “That’s great baby, you did fantastic, just don’t move!” Tim is always so calm.

What kind of pets do you have at home? Why those pets?

I have a small zoo at my house. I have 4 carpet pythons, 3 corn snakes, a savannah monitor and a Rottweiler puppy. I have always loved reptiles since the eighth grade and I have always had a snake or other reptile in my home. My first dog I got when I moved out on my own was a Rottweiler and I have loved them ever since.

What kind of hobbies do you have?

I enjoy watching movies, going to reptile shows, breeding snakes and spending time with my family and friends. I really enjoy going jet-skiing whenever I can.

Do you have any special talents?

I am pretty good at trivia games. I really retain a lot of useless information.

What was your last job?

I worked in the retail field for about thirteen years. I was an assistant manager at a home improvement warehouse. Man that was awful!

If there was one thing you would like for our guest to know about you, what would that be?

I love my job!!! I especially love the guest’s enthusiasm. The more they cheer or the more they ask me questions, the more I realize I chose a career that I am proud to be a part of and don’t ever want to leave.