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Description.
Large reptile, shaped like a lizard, with a rounded snout, 80 teeth and scaly hide. Typically 8-12 feet in length and 400-500 lbs., though can reach 1,000 lbs. How can you tell them apart from crocodiles? Check for these signs: (1)The alligator's snout is wider. (2)No teeth show when its mouth is shut. (3)The gator is gray-black while the croc is brown. Life Cycle. Alligators live 30-35 years in the wild and 50 years in captivity. They reach sexual maturity at 6-7 feet when they are 8-13 years old. Females lay 20-50 goose-sized eggs, which incubate for 9 weeks in a covered nest. When the young are ready to hatch, they emit a high- pitched noise, and the mother digs them out. Nest temperature determines sex. Cooler nests produce females; warmer nests produce males. Hatchlings are 6-8 inches at birth. Females protect their young for up to 2 years. Habitat and Distribution. Freshwater lakes, rivers and wetlands in the southeastern US from Florida west to Texas and north to South Carolina. The largest populations live in Florida and Louisiana. |
 Alligators swallow food whole. Sex is determined by nest temperature. They squeak when they're ready to hatch. Females protect their young up to 2 years. They are fast and agile on land. 
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Behaviors.
The alligator builds "gator holes" by uprooting vegetation with its mouth and claws and wallowing out a depression with its body and tail. (The holes stay full of water even when the rainy season ends, providing water for many animals.) Alligators use their powerful tails to propel themselves through water. They sprint at high speed on land. Their teeth are designed not for cutting, but grabbing and holding, and they swallow most food whole. With larger prey, they shake their heads to tear off a piece. Food. Alligators eat a variety of foods, including fish, turtles, snails, mammals, snakes, birds and sometimes other alligators. They also eat carrion. Threats. A short while ago, the species was endangered, but in 1987, it was pronounced fully recovered. It is still listed as threatened because of its close resemblance to the endangered crocodile. The primary threats to alligators are hunting and loss of habitat. They are at the top of the food chain, so adults have no natural predators. Young are preyed on by snakes, wading birds, osprey, raccoons, otters, large bass, garfish, larger alligators and others. |
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