<p><strong>EVERGLADES CITY</strong> — Wildlife officials shut down an illegal transportation service run by Jake Morrison, 36, who had been offering rides across swamp areas via trained alligators. Morrison advertised the service on Facebook Marketplace as &#8220;EverGator Rides &#8211; 4.8 star rating!&#8221;</p> <p>Charges include operating without proper permits, endangering public safety, and &#8220;gross misrepresentation of alligator temperament.&#8221;</p> <p>&#8220;They&#8217;re perfectly safe if you know how to read their body language,&#8221; Morrison insisted. &#8220;And if you don&#8217;t provoke them. Or make sudden movements. Or breathe too loud. Basically, it&#8217;s fine.&#8221;</p> <p>Investigators discovered Morrison had been operating the service for six months, charging $50 per ride. Customer reviews were mixed, with one stating &#8220;Got me across the swamp but I&#8217;ve never been more terrified&#8221; and another noting &#8220;Driver was friendly, alligator was judgmental.&#8221;</p> <p>Morrison maintains the service was &#8220;100% organic and eco-friendly&#8221; and plans to pivot to &#8220;land-based armadillo transportation&#8221; once released. Wildlife officials have stated that this would also be illegal.</p> <p>The alligators used in the operation have been relocated to a wildlife sanctuary where they can &#8220;retire from the gig economy,&#8221; according to officials.</p>