Saturday, November 25, 2006
American Alligator
Broadly rounded snout distinguishes it from crocodiles. Fourth tooth on each side of lower jaw is hidden when mouth is closed. Young are black with yellowish cross-bars. Mature alligators are coal black when wet, dark gray when dry. Males are 11 to 12 feet long and weigh 450-550 pounds. Females are no longer than 9 feet and weigh about 160 pounds. Record length is 20 feet.
North Carolina to Florida Keys and west to central Texas. Lacking the salt-removing glands found in crocodiles they live in fresh water swamps and waterways only. When given protection, alligator populations rebound and soon reoccupy areas where they have long been absent.
Diet: Large stomach. Carnivorous. Eats fish, snakes, frogs, turtles, birds, and mammals such as muskrats, deer and cows. Big animals are dragged underwater and drowned and then torn to pieces. They are very efficient metabolically; even a big alligator can get by on about 50 pounds of food a year. Eats little or nothing from early October to late March. Feeds heavily during summer to store fat. Newborn starts feeding at once, eating small fishes and water insects.
North Carolina to Florida Keys and west to central Texas. Lacking the salt-removing glands found in crocodiles they live in fresh water swamps and waterways only. When given protection, alligator populations rebound and soon reoccupy areas where they have long been absent.
Diet: Large stomach. Carnivorous. Eats fish, snakes, frogs, turtles, birds, and mammals such as muskrats, deer and cows. Big animals are dragged underwater and drowned and then torn to pieces. They are very efficient metabolically; even a big alligator can get by on about 50 pounds of food a year. Eats little or nothing from early October to late March. Feeds heavily during summer to store fat. Newborn starts feeding at once, eating small fishes and water insects.
# posted by saffron @ 12:20 PM 
