Alligators
are reptiles. Alligators are "cold blooded" and "cold blooded" means
these animals control their body temperature by moving to a cooler or warmer
place in other words they are "ectotherm". Alligators have huge,
strong jaws for capturing prey. Alligators are semi-aquatic, which
means they spend half of the time in water, alligators usually live in
rivers, lakes, canals, marshes, swamps and bayous. Mother alligators watch
their young for about as long as 2 years. They are fierce protectors.
The alligator
is an amazing reptile, having survived almost unchanged in the time of
dinosaurs. It's been hunted for several years and that caused it
to be an endangered species. In recent years this reptile made a
great comeback, inhabiting most of the bodies of water in Florida.
An alligator plays a very important part on the ecosystem they live in,
during dry season it creates "gator holes. An american alligator
can grow 1 foot a year, for their first five years. After that, they
grow more slowly. Every kind of alligator eats wild dogs, deer,racoons,
and many more warm blooded animals. When an alligator's stomach is full
it may not eat for days, and it becomes very lazy. When catching
prey,an alligator swims with most of it's body submerged. Only his
eyes and his nose are above the water,the victim is unawarethat it is being
stalked until the alligator strikes. No matter how slow an alligator
looks it still has surprising speeds. Normally alligators do not
attack humans, but they have been known to do so. Alligators play
an important part in the wetlands, by dredging up muck and vegetation to
build their large, mound shaped nests, alligators keep water ways clear.
This also creates deep holes that hold water for wildlife, even in the
driest times of years. In the moist debris of abandoned alligator
nests, new plants grow and insects thrive. Whenever there are alligators,
there is sure to be a variety of life. Alligators are found in freshwater
wetlands.You may think that an alligator is quiet but it could make a loud
roar to get the others' attention. It is a really loud mating call.Alligators
are reptiles and are closely related to dinosaurs and birds; they are all
diapsids, and all have two opening on each side of the skull. Alligators
are also Archosaurs (which have a single skull opening in front of the
eyes), like the birds, dinosaurs, pterosaurs and crocodiles. Alligators
belong to the family Crocodilia, which include the alligators, caimans,
crocodiles, and gharials. Alligators are nocturnal and feed primarily at
night. Younger alligators eat insects, shrimps, snails, small fish, tadpoles
and frogs. Adult gators eat fish, birds, turtles, reptiles, and mammals.
They swallow their prey whole. Their conical teeth are used for catching
the prey, not tearing it apart. Alligators have about 80 teeth they
lose and re grow.
A baby alligator hatching
- "Happy Birthday"
click
on the picture to hear a baby alligator's hatching call.
click
on the picture to hear a baby alligator's hatching call.
