NEWS-LEADER (Springfield, Missouri) 28 July 07 Kachunga, alligator thrill crowds at fair (Jaime Baranyai)
The crowd was suddenly silent as David Castillo — better know as "Kachunga" — placed his hand inside the alligator's open jaws.
SNAP! The alligator's mouth shut instantly. Seeing that Kachunga still had all his fingers, the crowd gave a thunderous applause.
Kachunga and the Alligator show was a big hit Friday at the opening day of the Ozark Empire Fair. The show is new to the fair this year, and already fans can't get enough of it.
"I loved it," 12-year-old Brytney Woodward said. "My favorite part was when the guy stuck his hand in the alligator's mouth."
Several other kids agreed that stunt was their favorite. Whytney Woodward, 12, said she liked watching Castillo try to catch the alligator.
The 8-foot, 225-pound alligator opened its mouth and made hissing noises when Castillo tried to get it out of the shallow pool of water. Apparently irritated, the alligator thrashed its tail wildly, soaking Kachunga's clothes.
After more back-and-forth with the alligator, Castillo pulled the reptile out of the water by its tail and it became clear the 'gator was bigger than the man.
Once on stage, Castillo firmly held the alligator's mouth closed by firmly gripping its snout. Then, tucking the snout between his chin and chest, Castillo let go of the alligator's jaws, extending his arms outward. Applause followed.
When the time came for audience participation, 8-year-old Dylon Berry was the lucky boy picked from the stands to sit on the alligator. After slight hesitation, he agreed.
"Hard and bumpy" was the way he described the alligator's back, but said the reptile's belly was "soft and scaly."
Castillo and his brother, Gil Castillo, who was emcee on Friday but also handles alligators in some shows, want the show to be fun and entertaining, but they also want it to be a learning experience, they said.
Alligator facts accompany the humor and excitement throughout the show. Audience members are also told to stay a safe distance from alligators they see in the wild.
"We really want to teach people about alligators," David Castillo said. "The kids love it and that's why we do it."
Gil Castillo started the show nearly 25 years ago, saying it grew out of an early childhood fascination with alligators. Living in Florida, there were plenty nearby.
Although the Castillos are experienced alligator handlers, it's still a dangerous job. Just last month an alligator sank its teeth into David Castillo's shoulder.
"It comes with the territory," he said. "All it takes is one little slip-up and they can get you good. It's a matter of good timing for the alligator, bad timing for the handler."
Rather than fear the 'gators, the Castillos respect them.
"They're very powerful and they're quick to defend themselves. You have to respect them," David Castillo said.
The scar on his shoulder reminds David Castillo of what can happen: "We do this every day, but it just shows you that it's never really safe. It kind of wakes you up and keeps you on the edge," he said.
Switching alligators every few weeks also keeps things interesting.
"We like to have new alligators so they act like alligators when they're here," David Castillo said. "It wouldn't be any fun if they were tame."
Mary Patrick, 65, of Reeds Spring, said she had a lot of fun at the alligator show.
"I liked it because it was something different," she said. "I've never seen anything like it before ... . I thought the comedy was good and it also included good information for the kids. It was great."
Gailene Altis, 19, was one of the many who chose to hold a baby alligator after the show.
"It was cool. His back was hard but his underside was soft and leathery. This is a good addition to the fair and I hope it's here next year."
Kachunga, alligator thrill crowds at fair