SARASOTA, Fla. — Amber the Scarlett McCaw likes almonds so much, she’ll roller skate across a table to get them from human pal Alan Gillespie.

Gillespie is a Broadway actor turned head of entertainment at Sarasota Jungle Gardens.
His mission is to add more fun to animal education.

“This is all enrichment for them,” said Gillespie of the birds in their bird show. “It switches up their days and they feed off the energy of the crowds here. They love performing.”

Opened in 1939, the roadside stop in Sarasota is quintessential “Old Florida.”

They are practically handing out core childhood memories courtesy of their animal ambassador experiences — kids holding year-old alligators with their gator mouths taped shut.

“I met a family, four generations they’ve been coming here,” said Gillespie.

One sight the park is famous for — their free roaming flamingos turning their head sideways for a nibble.

“So we’ve had a flock here since the early 1940s. It’s one of the main things people come here year after year to get to hand-feed flamingos,” said Gillespie.

These animals rode out the storms of 2024 in safety — away from the destruction they brought to the park.

Despite the Gardens closing for 80 days to repair between October and December, Gillespie only expressed gratitude.

His fellow performers are thriving.

And together they have a part in this Florida story.