Eight-Year-Old Gator Wrangler Handles Beasts With Ease

Daredevil youngster, Charlie Parker, has helped his parents care for the animals at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Victoria, Australia, since the moment he was able to walk.

Meet the tiny eight-year-old reptile ranger who spends his days cuddling up to alligators and giant snakes. Charlie, who has his very own pint-sized ranger uniform, held his first snake when he was one and tackled his very first crocodile just two years later. And now, in and around his time at school, Charlie interacts with the animals more than ever, and has big dreams of becoming a professional zookeeper like his idol, Steve Irwin.

He likes to play with alligators, snakes, lizards and frogs. He says that his passion for animals first started when he holded his first snake when he was only one-year-old. His favorite snake is the reticulated python because they squeeze their prey. He says he is not afraid of handling snakes or gators, because he had worked with them his entire life, and built up trust in them.

His mother, Julia Leonard, co-owner of Ballarat Wildlife Park, says that Charlie is very natural around animals. His father, Greg Parker, says that we cannot promote conservation without people meeting animals up close, and Charley says that when people see him, they are amazed because of his age and courage to handle beasts with such an ease!

We couldn’t believe our ears when little Charlie started listing all the animals who have beaten him over the years.The confidence in his voice shows us that he is genuinely proud with that and regards it like big accomplishment. Way to go Charlie!