See ya later, or maybe after awhile?…
Today we’re back at the park with the ponds, marshy banks, and walkways weaving around all the different bodies of water. The roseate spoonbill from the first newsletter is hanging out on the rail of one of the bridges, but not in the water this time. For good reason too! Look who we’ve found this time!
This week on the path!
It’s an American Alligator!
So, how do you know if you’ll see them later or in awhile? Overall, the American and Chinese alligators (the only two species of alligators) are both generally smaller and darker in color than crocodiles are. By no means does that mean they’re small though. American alligators can get to be roughly 13 feet long and anywhere from 150-800 pounds on average! The largest recorded was approximately 19 feet long and around 1,000 pounds.
Otherwise, just look them in the face. No, not close up. You don’t want to be near that mouth full of daggers, especially if they’re hungry. They are opportunistic eaters and will eat anything from small fish to large mammals that come too close to the edge of the water. With the strongest bite strength recorded at 2,980psi (roughly 3x that of lions) they have even been known to kill lions and leopards!
What I actually mean is to look at their face. Alligators have a wider U-shaped snout, where crocodiles have a narrower and pointier V-shaped snout. While we’re still looking at their faces, their smiles are different too. Alligators will have only their top teeth showing, facing downward, and crocodiles will have both top and bottom teeth showing, laced together in a very toothy grin. In that grin of theirs, alligators have a tooth socket that their largest lower teeth fit into in the front sides of their mouth. Speaking of sharp chompers, alligators generally have 74-80 teeth in their mouth at one time. It doesn’t stop there though. When their teeth get worn out, they get replaced and they can go through as many as 3,000 teeth in their lifetime—which can be around 50 years!
Being cold-blooded, these reptilians prefer the warmer months and in the colder months they’ll go into brumation where they become lethargic and their metabolic rate slows down. American alligators will often dig a “gator hole” where they dig into the mud to protect from both extreme cold and even heat. After they’re done with it, other animals may also use it after the gator moves out.
Where to find:
American alligators like freshwater ponds, lakes, marshes, and even slow-moving rivers.They can be found along the south-eastern coast from Texas all the way around to North Carolina. Interestingly, Florida is the only place in the world to be home to both American alligators and crocodiles. While they’re very fast in the water, they can still be fast on land as well, so if you do happen to see one make sure to give it its space.
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Here’s a bonus photo of some baby American Alligators I got to see at Brazos Bend State Park!
