Abby, a volunteer at Colorado Gator Sanctuary in Alamosa, took part in an adrenaline-pumping weekend aimed at ensuring the health of the sanctuary's alligators. Dubbed "Gatorfest," the annual event is a frenetic, high-stakes competition where quick action is essential to capture alligators for their yearly medical exams.

"Alligators are always getting into fights and biting each other, so we need to make sure none of the bites or scrapes they receive get infected," Abby explained. Due to their tough skin, sedating the alligators is not an option, making the capture process all the more challenging. "The alligator medicating team needs to catch them and pull them out of the water fast," she added.

During the medical evaluations, the alligators are measured, their identification chips are recorded, and any injuries are treated. "This year, we found a few alligators that had bites on their legs; they received shots to stop any spread of infection," Abby noted. One alligator was even discovered with an abscess in its mouth, now under extensive treatment.

To avoid recapturing the same animals, they are marked with animal-safe paint before release. Volunteers turn the crucial task into a fun competition, vying for the fastest capture times. "There's no actual prize, but this motivates the medicating team to work as quickly as possible," Abby said. Safety measures are in place, with each volunteer accompanied by a buddy ready to assist if needed.

This is a video of me (Abby) catching an alligator at Gatorfest at the Colorado Gator Sanctuary in Alamosa, CO. Gatorfest is the annual weekend where all the alligators at the sanctuary need to have a medical check-up. Alligators are always getting into fights and biting each other, so we need to make sure none of the bites or scrapes they receive get infected. If an infection gets into their bloodstream, it can be life-threatening. Because of their tough skin, it is very hard to sedate alligators; this is why the alligator medicating team needs to catch them and pull them out of the water fast, so the gators can get their medical exams and then be released back into the water as quickly as possible, with as little stress as possible. During their medical exams, the gators are measured, their chips are recorded and they are treated for any injuries we might find on their bodies. This year, we found a few alligators that had bites on their legs; they received shots to stop any spread of infection. We also found a gator that had an absess in its mouth, which we would never have known about if we had not pulled him in. That gator is now getting extensive treatments for that absess. Once the gators have been checked, they are then marked with animal-safe paint so they won't be caught again. Since we are trying to check every gator at the sanctuary as quickly as possible, we do turn the weekend into a fun competition, where whoever catches the gator in the fastest time wins. There's no actual prize, but this motivates the medicating team to work as quickly as possible pulling each gator in. Also, I know it looks like I might get bit on the butt, but we always go out with a buddy (my buddy was off-camera) who is ready to assist if need be. ***I don't give permission for my video to be shared with "World's Dumbes