Alligator
Described as ‘living fossils’,
alligators have been here since
around the time dinosaurs went
extinct. They might have a
reputation for being tough, but
alligators are amongst the most
attentive parents in the reptile
world, remaining with their young
for as long as three years. They are
also highly intelligent, and have
Amazing
Facts About
the Alligator
There are two living species of alligator
in the world: the American Alligator
(Alligator mississippiensis) and the
Chinese Alligator (Alligator sinensis).
The American Alligator is the offcial
state reptile of three states in the US:
Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana. The
alligator is often described as “a living
fossil” as it has evolved little over the
past 65 million years. That means that
alligators were basking in rivers around
can reach a weight of half
a ton or 1000 pounds and
16 feet in length. Chinese
Alligators are considerably
smaller, rarely weighing
more than 100
pounds and extending
greater than 5 feet in
Alligators also feature as symbols and
in the folklore of cultures across the
world. In North American shamanism,
alligators are symbols of status,
adaptability and survival. In the Pacific
Islands, alligator teeth were worn as
necklaces to protect the wearer from
illness. In Chinese folklore, the alligator
was viewed as a water deity related to
dragons.
How do I tell
the
difference
between an
alligator
and a
crocodile?
Although often
confused with
crocodiles, alligators
can easily be
distinguished from
crocodiles by the
shape of their snout.
While alligators have
broad u-shaped
snouts,
crocodiles’ snouts
are v-shaped.
Where do
alligators live?
The alligator’s habitat is freshwater
environments such as rivers,
swamps, marshes and lakes. The
American Alligator can be found
from North Carolina to the Rio
Grande in Texas. While the Chinese
Alligator was once widely distributed
across the eastern part of the
Yangtze River, its range is now
restricted to a small sections of the
river.
burrows which they dig
into mud banks and soil.
These burrows are
ecologically important
as they are used for
shelter by other animals
once
abandoned by the
alligators. They also act
as a water source, an
asset that becomes
increasingly valuable in
How do
alligators give
birth?
Once mating is complete,
female alligators construct
nests made of vegetation
and mud. They can lay over
50 eggs on these nests in a
single season. Alligators are
amongst the most attentive
parents in the reptile world,
tending to remain with their
young and care for them for
as long as three years.
The sex of a newborn alligator
depends on the temperature of
the nest. Incubation
temperatures of 30 Celsius or
below will produce females,
whereas 34 Celsius or above
will produce males.
alligators eat,
and how do
they catch
their prey?
carnivorous although they
have been found to also eat
fruit such as elderberries,
citrus fruits and wild grapes.
As juveniles, they primarily
feed on insects, spiders,
worms, snails and small
fishes . As they reach
adulthood, they start to
consume larger prey such as
birds, turtles, snakes,
mammals and larger fish.
Alligators are opportunistic
feeders who ambush their
prey rather than chase them.
They can reach 30 miles per
hour in a short burst,
however cannot maintain a
high speed.
use tools like sticks to help them
hunt. They rest submerged in the
water with sticks on their heads,
attracting birds that are seeking
twigs to build nests. Alligators seem
to only behave this way during the
nesting season when there is a
shortage of sticks and therefore
high competition between birds for
How many
teeth do
alligators
have?
Alligators can have up to
80 teeth at any given
time. New teeth grow to
replace worn ones and
throughout a lifetime an
alligator can have
between 2,000 and 3,000
Are alligators
dangerous to
humans?
Alligator attacks leading to human death.
Alligators generally target prey items
smaller than humans, such as birds,
small mammals and other reptiles.
However, increased human
encroachment into alligator habitat has
raised the risk of confict. Nevertheless,
alligator attacks can be easily avoided.
Preventative measures include observing
alligators from a distance, avoiding
feeding them and not swimming at night
What is the
conservation
status of
alligators?
Alligator became seriously
endangered mainly due to being
hunted for their skins. Since
then, they have been given legal
protection and their
numbers have grown. Currently,
the American Alligator is
classified as Least Concern
critically endangered
with fewer than 120
remaining
in the wild. Their
decline is mainly due
to the widespread
conversion of their
habitat to
agricultural land.
Quick
Facts
Type:
Reptile
Diet:
Carnivore
Life span: 35-50
years
Size:
8.2 (female) -11.2
(male) feet in length for
American alligator
(Chinese species is
smaller)
Weight:
380 (female) – 440
(male)
kg for American
alligator (Chinese
species is lighter)
Habitat:
Freshwater lakes,
marshes,
and swamps
Range:
North America
and East Asia