Gator Country: Deception, Danger, and Alligators in the Everglades

by Rebecca Renner

A New York Times Editors' Choice

"Delivers everything its title promises and much more." - NPR

"Remarkable... Every species, and every person who fights for its continued existence, deserves a book like this." — The New York Times

"This nail-biter account has the intensity of the best true crime... A high-def tale that ensnares you from the start." —People

David Grann meets Susan Orlean in this page-turning true story of an underground operation into the mysterious world of alligator poaching and its larger than life Floridian characters

To catch a Florida Man, you have to become one, and that’s what Officer Jeff Babauta did. As his ponytailed, whiskey-soaked alter ego, he established Sunshine Alligator Farm. His goal? Infiltrate the shady world of illegal poachers in the Florida Everglades in order to protect the natural world.

A head-spinning adventure soon unfolds. Jeff deals with glow-in-the-dark alligators and high-speed airboat rides, but quickly learns that not all poachers are villains. They’re simply people trying to survive, fighting against the poverty and greed holding them down. Jeff wants to solve the mystery of alligator poachers, and in doing so he must venture deeper into a strange ecosystem where right is wrong, and justice comes at the cost of those who’ve welcomed him into their world.

Gator Country is the twisting true story of the impossible choices individuals must make to stay afloat in this world. Through its wholly unique blend of reporting, nature writing, and personal narrative, this book transports readers to vibrant and dangerous Florida landscapes and offers intimate portraits of those who call the region home. Broad in scope and vivid in detail, Gator Country is a fast paced tale of the risks people will take to survive in one of the world's most beautiful yet formidable landscapes and the undercover investigation that threatens to topple the whole scheme.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Nature, Audiobook, Crime, Animals, History

276 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 14, 2023

About the author

Rebecca Renner was born in Gainesville, FL. She writes mostly for National Geographic, but her other work has appeared in The New York Times, the Paris Review, the Atlantic, Tin House, and more. Her highly anticipated first book Gator Country will be published by Flatiron Books in November of 2023.

Contact publicity@flatironbooks.com for booking.

Reviews

[Rebecca Renner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course I’m going to rate my own book five stars. It’s out in November, but get your preorders in now!

[Sharon Orlopp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rebecca Renner's book, Gator Country: Deception, Danger, and Alligators in the Everglades, is a true crime book about catching alligator poachers in the Florida everglades. In order to do that, Officer Jeff Babauta had to erase his existing life and become a local. He grew his hair, lived in a remote trailer and opened Sunshine Alligator Farm.

Babauta isn't focused on catching and locking up the poachers. He wants to understand their psyche and why they poach. He treats them as human beings and wants to understand the underlying causes.

I listened to this on audiobook and really enjoyed the introduction by the author. The shift to the body of the story is narrated by John Pirhalla. NetGalley provides a bonus at the end of the audiobook with a conversation between the author and Officer Jeff Babauta.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Louise C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does what the most important books should do, I think: make you see the world differently. I went in for an adventure, and I came out seeing alligators and the people who live their lives close to these wonderful reptiles differently. I hope more people come into this book ready to challenge their misconceptions.

Plus, here's another thing I haven't seen anyone mention! The writing is wonderful. Lyrical and beautiful, but fast-paced and readable. A hard thing to do! And even harder to believe that this is Renner's first book. I hope there are many more to come from her.

*I read an ARC.

[Alexis · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher.

In Gator Country, Rebecca Renner goes in depth about poaching in Florida. The reader learns about the legend of the mysterious Peg Brown, who is said to be one of the most notorious poachers in Florida. The author takes readers through Officer Jeff Babauta's undercover operation which resulted in several arrests for alligator poaching. Renner also travels to southern Florida to interview several men so that she can get more acquainted with Peg Brown's true story.

I believe this book's synopsis does not do the book justice. I expected Renner's book to focus mainly (90%) on Jeff Babauta's story of going undercover into the alligator poaching world. However, this comprised only around half of the book, if that. While I do think that Renner did a good job covering Babauta's undercover operation, I don't feel that the rest of the book blends well with that story.

Renner flips back and forth between storylines throughout the book. One chapter will be on Babauta. The next chapter will be on Peg Brown. Usually, I like it when books, especially nonfiction, do this. The author's choice to flip-flop in this book made me want to skip entire chapters. It took me weeks to get through this book because I dreaded reading it when I got to the chapters about Peg Brown and interviewing Brown's son or others. These chapters dragged on and bored me. I think the interviews would have been better suited for a magazine or newspaper article. They just simply don't fit in well with the main narrative of this book. This synopsis completely leaves out any mention of this storyline and made me think I was getting a book mainly about Jeff Babauta's undercover operation.

At the beginning of this book, I thought that Renner's opinions would be pretty similar to my own. After reading the entire book, I'm not so sure. On page 12, Renner describes herself as "the kind of person who's never met a dog she didn't want to befriend, who thinks all creatures--whether fluffy or scaly, feathered or slimy-- are cute." This really resonated with me because I'm the same kind of person. However, throughout the book, Renner continuously makes excuses for poachers. Apparently, poachers are only trying to "feed their families." That may have been true decades ago, but that's not true anymore. For example, if I needed to go out and hunt to feed my family, I could legally do so by ensuring that I'm hunting for an animal in season, using the right weapon, the right ammo, etc. There's no need to poach just to "feed my family." This is just one example Renner gives, but I disagree with most of them.

There were several times I almost gave up on reading this book. I would recommend adding more to the synopsis about the alternative storyline before this book is published so that readers have a more accurate idea of what the book is about.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible book!

GATOR Country:Deception, Danger, and Alligators in the Everglades
By Rebecca Renner
This is an interesting story of poaching, transporting, and the undercover agent responsible for exposing the crimes. Reads like a top-notch Hollywood thriller instead of a true story. Very sobering Iook at both sides of poaching.

[Mai H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm ngl. I don't care about alligators or Florida, but I found myself entirely engrossed by this sting operation.

Florida is technically in the south, but it's not really the South. You'd have to be from a surrounding state to get it. Most outsiders don't get why one would settle somewhere so hot and swamplike, but most outsiders are paying through the roof for rent and mortgages.

Officer Jeff Babauta infiltrated the secret world of egg poachers in the Florida Everglades. This book details that account. I learned a lot. I'm not sure I would ever pick up something similar again, but I enjoyed nearly every second. That says a lot.

🎧 Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one ran a bit longer than I would have liked in some parts but overall it was a really interesting and compelling read and I greatly appreciated the nuanced way with which everything was approached.

[Brandice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gator Country tells the compelling, true story of poachers in the Florida Everglades and a FL Fish & Wildlife Commission officer who goes undercover, embodying an alter ego to help bring them down. ⁣
⁣
Gator Country was interesting and atmospheric. I felt like I was in this story, witnessing Jeff Baubtua become Curtis Blackledge, start his own alligator farm, and engrain himself in this small, fairly guarded circle for Operation Alligator Thief. ⁣
⁣
Rebecca Renner shares both Operation Alligator Thief and her own quest to learn more, meeting relatives of other notorious FL poachers and posing questions like, are all poachers villains or just trying to survive? That’s something I never would’ve considered before reading this and I appreciate how Gator Country was thought-provoking. I preferred the Operation aspects more though both connect well to each other. ⁣
⁣
I am impressed by Renner’s ability to bring this story to life and provide this level of an insider look, capturing the environment, details, and scenes.

[Courtney · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 - Really just OK; Gator Country has an outstanding premise, but it's hard not to wish a more skilled writer got to tell this story.

Rebecca Renner's plea to remind us of poachers' humanity fell flat for me, too, I'm sorry to say. I understand people are driven to desperate solutions to keep food on the table. But there was very little here in the way of desperation or shame and much more in the glorification of killing or stealing animals to sell off to black market buyers for profit. That's not the same thing at all, and I have a hard time lionizing local figures who ("allegedly") kill alligators by the thousands in the state's so-called protected places.

[Audrey Approved · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a bit ironic that I learned almost nothing about alligators from Gator Country, but maybe I shouldn’t have made assumptions. After finishing, I actually think the publishers did a really good job capturing Gator Country in the book blurb - at its heart, this is about an undercover operation by Florida’s Fish and Wildlife service to catch alligator egg poachers. But layered amongst this is the story of the author’s personal search for one of Florida’s most famous poachers, Peg Brown, as well as her own commentary on Florida’s misconceptions, its inherent natural beauty, and the nuances of poaching (spoiler - is it always as bad as it seems?).

I really enjoy Renner’s writing (very lyrical and descriptive), and I appreciated how much she emphasized that that are complex humans behind every crime. But there’s a little bit of an I’m-one-of-the-boys vibe that Renner gave off, which I found a bit off putting. I also think the relatively slow pacing (and what ultimately felt like pretty low stakes) of the main poaching storyline was brought even slower by diversions into other topics - in particular, I found the author’s investigation into Peg Brown quite dull.

Overall, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend Gator Country, but I’m not displeased I picked this up and somebody intrigued by the culture of Florida’s swamps might enjoy this one more than me.

I got my audio ARC from #netgalley! Thanks to the author and publisher.

3.5/5 stars

[Kristina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning history about my home state, but this missed for me. I appreciated the author's observations about the criminal justice system and the grey areas of the law, but found the conclusions surface-level. And I cannot think that this undercover operation was really worth it based on the legal outcomes, the amount of the officer's life spent on it and the danger that he experienced. But I am happy that someone cares about wild Florida, so.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Roland Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This lyrical, novel-like nonfiction—dare I call it a thriller?—is one of my new favorite books. It's fast-paced, especially for nonfiction. It follows many of adventure journalism's conventions, like having the author as a character in the story—think The Orchid Thief, Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster, or even Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas—while flouting others. We really get to feel what it's like being in wildlife officer Jeff Babauta's head. In my opinion, Gator Country: Deception, Danger, and Alligators in the Everglades is a modern classic.

[Lily Smuck · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh, I was so excited for this one! Alligators, history, and corruption all sounded like pretty interesting things to me. Wrong. Like the author (who makes it VERY well known…over and over again), I grew up in Louisiana/Florida and have always had a soft spot for gators. However, I’m pretty ignorant when it comes to the alligator farming industry, so I was hoping to learn more about both the animal and business + the people behind it. This book failed to deliver on all those fronts.

I crawled my way through this audiobook that put me to sleep multiple times and left knowing a lot about Jeff, the undercover cop. And that’s pretty much it. More than half the book is him feeling bad for himself for putting people behind bars who are trying to provide for their families (while letting the bigger players off the hook). His story is intertwined with the author’s attempt at discovering the true story behind an alligator poaching legend, and the most I remember from those parts is her trying to fit in with the guys she interviewed.

But, I’m not discouraged! Going to continue my search for better alligator/swamp books!

[Emma Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise is fascinating, but the telling is stilted. There are a lot of weird sentence- and paragraph-level bobbles; a character is introduced twice in consecutive chapters. The nut-and-bolts descriptions of the undercover operation are fascinating—and I imagine Renner put a lot of time into piecing everything together—but too frequently the good stuff is overshadowed. Discussion of poaching morality stays frustratingly surface level.

I feel bad giving a low rating, since so many people seem to have liked this one. I kind of wonder if I read a different book than everyone else? Lol.

[Dodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you a chump for all the Goodreads challenges like I am? I needed to collect the "Armchair Explorer" ribbon, and that's where I found Gator Country. Rebecca Renner documents the poaching of alligators and their eggs in the Everglades. Renner depicts the setting expressively; I felt like I was there. The descriptive, fast-paced writing made this book an interesting and fun read.

[Lexi Denee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where to even begin with this one?! I think the highest compliment that I can give Gator Country is that it made me less afraid of alligators. As someone with an incredibly irrational fear of snakes, alligators, and crocodiles - this is a high honor. I grew up watching movies like Lake Placid (IYKYK,) so I have some preconceived notions of reptiles.

Gator Country is simultaneously a police procedural, nature documentary, and personal story of a writer that grew up a stone’s throw from the Everglades, and never really appreciated what was in her backyard.

“To catch a Florida Man, you have to become one, and that’s what Officer Jeff Babauta did. As his ponytailed, whiskey-soaked alter ego, he established Sunshine Alligator Farm. His goal? Infiltrate the shady world of illegal poachers in the Florida Everglades in order to protect the natural world.”

While covering Babauta’s investigation, Renner also dives into the history of notorious poacher, Peg Brown. She meets his living relatives, and learns that not everyone considered a “poacher” is someone with blatant disregard for the environment. In some cases, it is actually the opposite - people with a passion for the living world around them, who come from families that have relied on natural resources for generations.

While Renner shattered my preconceived notions of alligators, she did the same for my thoughts on poachers. Poaching has a much larger definition than I ever thought, and isn’t just greedy hunters seeking out the world’s last white rhino.

Please check this one out and hit preorder if you love or hate alligators, police procedurals/true crime, Florida, Florida Men, nature, science, and candid writing!

[casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

renner does great job at molding her reporting narrative wise, to the point where often times it felt like i was reading a memoir. majority of this was about jeff’s experience going undercover: the sacrifices, particulars, his inner conflicts and platitudes that came as a result of the investigation. unfortunately i had gone into this expecting to see wayyyy more about gators 😭 definitely my own fault and i went in with the wrong expectations. ultimately well done but just not really what i was looking for

[Darcia Helle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite my interest in preserving wildlife and the dangers of poaching, Gator Country was a miss for me.

I listened to the audiobook, which accounted for a chunk of my problem. The narrator leans toward monotone, lacking the inflections that make an audiobook feel immersive. My attention constantly wavered.

The book is told in alternating parts. One part is the female author’s story, in first person. The other part is in third person, relating the male undercover agent’s story. Again, the audio was weird for me because the narrator is male, with a distinctive, deep voice, and he was speaking in the first person from a female POV. I just couldn’t settle in.

The pace is slow, dragging the story out, and I struggled to stay focused.

I didn’t feel like the two different stories—the author’s personal account and the story of the agent—meshed well at all. I much preferred the agent’s story, which seemed more relevant and focused.

I gave up several times, putting the audiobook aside in favor of others, before coming back for a few more chapters. It took me forever to get through this one.

*Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the free download.*

[Lukas Klessig · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging character study of Florida's wetlands and the swamp dwellers who make it such a unique and strange place.

[Rachel R · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "Gator Country," Rebecca Renner delves into the wild heart of the Sunshine State, delivering a narrative that is as fascinating as it is fearless. Renner's prose, sharp and evocative, takes readers on a riveting journey through the mysterious swamplands of Florida, where human and reptilian worlds intersect in unexpected and sometimes perilous ways. With a keen eye for detail and a distinctive narrative voice, Renner immerses readers in the unique tapestry of characters who call this untamed landscape home. The author's exploration of the ecological and cultural nuances of Gator Country is both insightful and entertaining, shedding light on the delicate balance between man and nature. Renner's storytelling prowess, coupled with her deep respect for the environment, results in a work that not only captivates with its tales of alligator encounters but also prompts reflection on our place within the intricate ecosystems that surround us. "Gator Country" is a literary triumph, a vivid and thought-provoking exploration of a corner of America where the wild thrives and the human spirit faces its most primal challenges.

[Read By Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about an undercover cop who is trying to bust alligator poachers.

Some of it was very interesting, but then it would get bogged down a little with extrenous details. The middle especially could have been trimmed a little.

The cop tried to understand why the poachers were doing what they were doing which threw in some good morality questions.

[Katie (katieladyreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"to save the forgotten creatures, the ugly things, the scaly things, the things it seemed no one loved"

wow! It's been a while since I've read a nonfiction book that captivated me from start to finish. This reads like a mystery/thriller while alternating storylines between an undercover FWC agent trying to take down an illegal alligator poaching ring, and the life story of a poacher named Peg Brown. Moreover, this book is an ode to alligators, Florida, the beauty of nature, and how we are all interconnected. Highly recommend for Floridians and non-Floridians alike, true crime fans, investigative journalism enthusiasts, and anyone that needs reminding of how important it is to preserve this beautiful planet we live on!

CW: PET DEATH (dog)
*I don't think this was necessary to the story and could have done without it personally but understand why it was included

[Mya · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75 ⭐️⭐️. As a Floridian and lover of this environment, I appreciate the
crucial message of this book.
The undercover investigation by Jeff Babauta and the FWC is fascinating.
However the writing is quite weak, and the retelling of the investigation often fell flat. Save for some truly exquisite and insightful paragraphs that depict the consequence to the destruction of the environment and the habitat which invoked my awe, the majority of the vocabulary and sentence structure is amateur.

The author repeated herself countless times on a multitude of subjects, as if we can't remember 12 pages back that "Jeff called the kiddie pools Sunshine Daycare".

Also it was clear that she does not understand that sparing poachers from consequences can result in the extinction of the alligator, a keystone species, is not "compassionate" as she claimed. She needed to research, interview biologists and environmental sciencists, etc., rather than "wondering" throughout the book.

A secondary plot was the author's attempt at telling the tale of the legendary poacher Peg Brown. However she inserts herself into this storyline to the point that poacher Peg's story is lost amidst her reminding us that she used her charm, whit and drawl to get every man that she spoke to, to open up to her like the true journalist that she is. (?)
I don't care about the old Honda windshield wipers or that she told Mac that she was too pretty for him.

I do find incredible respect and value in Jeff Babauta's entire operation as well as the description of the Everglades.
The essence of the book could have fulfilled its potential had the book not bypassed a re-write.

[Jake Murdock · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall I think that the author could write a wonderful mystery novel, but I don’t think this is the best example of their work. I found that there was SO much filler language all throughout the book that I couldn’t help but skip any section where the narrator described the feel and setting of the scene. At one point, I had to skip 3-5 pages of just descriptive language which in my opinion was just too much. Honestly the main story of this book could’ve have been written in less than a hundred pages and it felt like there was about 150 pages of filler pages to make up for the story not being very long. All of that being said, when the main story was going I couldn’t put the book down. I just wish that part was longer.

[Audrey Kay · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was so excited for this book and am incredibly disappointed upon finishing it (which I barely did). This is a great story that should have been written by anyone other than the author that made this story about herself. It was shallow, cliché, and amateur.

[Kristen Murman · Rating 2 out of 5]

poaching in the Everglades was interesting to learn about and the Seminoles got a couple mentions!! But the author was incredibly annoying…

[Kate Duffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't tell my students, but peer pressure actually rocks.

Writing this review as I listen to the bonus interview at the end of the audiobook because I so desperately don't want it to be over. Nothing makes me happier than flat-out fantastic writing, and I am VERY happy right now. Rebecca Renner, I love you and I want you to write my obituary. Jeff Babauta, you will live in my brain forever. I will be looking at pictures of cute baby alligators on Pinterest for hours.

It's my turn to peer pressure now. Milena, you NEED to read this.

[Karyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come.

[Stacey E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun listen! A true crime novel about the world of alligator poaching. This book checked all the boxes for me and was a well deserved five stars. The narration was good, although I would have enjoyed a female narration for Renner's POV. I especially enjoyed the added conversation between the author and Babuta.
Thank you, NetGalley, and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to listen and review this wonderful audiobook.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good Florida book and this one is exceptional. I really have no fault with this book; it is certainly written well, seems to be well-researched, and introduces controversial topics in an approachable way. The description doesn't mention a kind of dual timeline, one being the story of Officer Jeff Babauta's undercover work to take down alligator poachers, and the other Renner's search for famed poacher from decades past, Peg Brown. I'd eagerly recommend this book to anyone interested in Florida, true crime, or alligators. Or if you're just looking for a great non-fiction read. I listened to the audiobook and while the narrator was just fine, it was weird that it was a male because much of it was written from the first person POV of the author, who is female. And after the author read the intro and did such a great job, I was kind of bummed it wasn't her reading the whole book. Hopefully for her next one!
I was given a copy of this audiobook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.