Keeps 400 animals: a man sleeps with an alligator in the same bed and encountered a problem (4 photos + 1 video)

According to Philippe Gillet, he has scorpions, cobras and vipers in his bungalow. Now he is worried about the future of his menagerie due to a number of difficulties: funding and age.





Philippe Gillet lives in his bungalow in western France and has about 400 exotic pets at home - a Gaboon viper, a spitting cobra, a python, crocodile turtles, tarantulas, scorpions and even an alligator. Previously, the man worked as a guide in Africa, but after returning to his homeland he continued to do this.

When a stranger enters the living room, suddenly the growling of two-meter alligators Gator and Allie is heard from the coffee table.

"When there is a storm, he (Gator, - ed.) comes to sleep in my bed. People think I'm crazy," says Philippe Gillet.



A Nile crocodile also lives in the garden and this is one of the most dangerous species, but they manage to get along together.

Thanks to his hobby, the Frenchman has become an Internet star, as he posts videos of his deadly menagerie of 400 animals on the Internet. This allows him to develop his charity Inf'Faune, which aims to educate people about different types of animals.

Most of the animals were bought or given to him by people who could no longer care for them. Sometimes, French customs officers also approached him.





After the coronavirus pandemic, Philippe Gillet began to have his first problems with funding, because his association was no longer able to organize open days to raise funds. Previously, such meetings brought in up to 100 thousand euros a year, but now the situation has changed. His videos on social networks are the main way to convey the idea of ​​​​conservation to people.



The second main problem is age. The Frenchman is 72 years old and he began to worry about the future of his animals. Alligators live up to 100 years on average, but Allie and Gator are quite young - they are about 30.

"Volunteers will have to take this on themselves," said Philippe Gillet.

He has already started training volunteers to care for animals and plans to create a special shelter away from the suburbs, where there will be no need for cages and pens. This requires money.