We’ve all heard of the tune “never smile at a crocodile”, well the same goes for the Alligator too.
I remember when I first visited Florida (many eons ago…), being warned that alligators could be found in any body of water. And Florida has a lot of water….
Now I don’t want to scare you with this post – this amazing creature has a lot to be admired, but if you do come across one then you should use some caution (& a lot of common sense!). They are mostly found in freshwater, slow moving rivers but can also be found in swampy grounds and lakes (or retention ponds). They are relatively clumsy on land and are made for life in the water, but as I’m sure you’ve seen on TV, they have amazing strength and are great at lunging.
The average American alligator can measure around 10-15 feet (3-5 meters) long and weigh around 5-600 lbs. (227-272 kg), with the females generally being smaller than the male. They continue to grow throughout their lifetime and can even weigh a ton or more.
Alligators are mostly carnivorous and have sharp teeth… lots of them! They can have anywhere between 74-80 teeth in their powerful jaws and they are replaced if they wear down or lost. They can go through an incredible 2000 teeth in its lifetime.
Alligators don’t have vocal chords but make a wide range of noises to make known territory, mating and distress. They do this by making a loud sucking noise, filling their lungs with air and then blowing it out. Thanks to the US Fish and Wildlife Service you can hear some examples here.
The females are extremely good mothers and lay their eggs on nests a short distance from water. She guards them until they hatch, and she carries them in her mouth to the shoreline. An average of 32 – 46 eggs are laid in late June/early July, and hatch in late August/mid-September. About a third of nests don’t survive, due to flooding or being attacked by racoons. The temperature when hatching influences the sex – if the nest is cooler/shaded then it would be more likely the offspring be male and if in a warmer spot they would be female. This is true of some other turtles & lizards too. She can care for her babies until they are a year old or longer & this is when they can be defensive to protect their offspring.
Alligators only truly function in warmer weather and their bodies slowdown in cooler temperatures, when they sometimes make burrows. They can be frequently seen basking in the sun on the banks or shoreline.
The American Alligator once faced extinction, and 20 years after being placed on the endangered species list in 1967 their population grew and so they were removed with their numbers continuing to be more stable.
Another place you might find alligator is on your menu at a restaurant - but that's another story altogether...
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