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Table of Contents
An Alligator is a group of animals in the order Crocodilia. The genus Alligator has two living species, the American Alligator and the Chinese Alligator. See the fact file below for more information about alligators or alternatively download our comprehensive worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Alligator Appearance
- The alligator is a reptile and crocodilian in the genus Alligator. There are two species – the American alligator found in America and Mexico, and the Chinese alligator, found in China.
- Alligators have been around for millions of years, first appearing about 37 million years ago.
- Several extinct species of alligators are known from fossil remains.
- An average adult American alligator weighs about 790 lbs (360 kg) and is 13 feet (4 m) in length.
- The largest recorded alligator, found in Louisiana, measured 19.2 ft (5.84 m).
- The Chinese alligator is smaller compared to an American alligator and itβs not likely to get bigger than 7 ft (2.1 m) in length.
- It also weighs considerably less, with males rarely over 100 lbs (45 kg).
- Adult alligatorsβ colors are typically blackish or dark olive-brown with white undersides. The dark green color helps camouflage them in their wetland habitat.
- Young alligators typically have bright yellow or whitish colored stripes set on a dark background. This helps them camouflage into grass and reeds better until theyβre more able to defend themselves.
- Alligators move on land in two forms, they either “sprawl” or “high walk”.
- The sprawl is a forward movement where the belly touches the ground. This movement normally occurs before a βhigh walkβ or when changing to a slithering movement to slide into water or across the mud.
- The high walk is when an alligator lifts its belly up off the ground and it walks in a kind of waddle over land. An alligator can even run short distances like this.
- Alligators have muscular, flat tails with serrations that propel them while swimming.
- Alligators are cold-blooded, which means they do not make their own body heat. They gain body heat by sunbathing.
Alligator Behavior
- Alligators are carnivores and their main prey are smaller animals they can kill and eat with a single bite. This is because even though alligators have claws on their feet, they arenβt used for hunting or feeding.
- They may kill larger prey by grabbing it and dragging it into the water to drown.
- When an alligator catches prey that is too big to be eaten in a single bite, it will drag it somewhere safe and allow it to rot, or it will perform a “death roll”, which is spinning or thrashing wildly until bite-sized chunks are torn off of the carcass.
- Most of the muscle in an alligator’s jaw evolved to bite and grip prey.
- The muscles that close the jaws are powerful, but the muscles for opening their jaws are weak. As a result, an adult human can hold an alligator’s jaws shut bare-handed (but donβt ever do this!).
- It is common to use several wraps of duct tape to prevent an adult alligator from opening its jaws when being handled or transported.
- Alligators are generally shy towards humans and will prefer to walk or swim away if someone approaches. Because theyβre not outwardly aggressive, some people may try to approach alligators and their nests, which can provoke the animals into attacking.
- In Florida, feeding wild alligators at any time is illegal. If fed, the alligators will eventually lose their fear of humans and will learn to associate humans with food.
Types of Alligator
American Alligator
- American alligators are found in the southeast United States.
- Louisiana and Florida have the largest alligator populations with over a million alligators in each state.
- Southern Florida is the only place where both alligators and crocodiles live side by side.
- A small population of alligators is also found in Mexico.
- American alligators live in freshwater environments, such as marshes, wetlands, rivers, and also in swamps, and brackish water.
- When they construct alligator holes in the wetlands, they increase plant diversity and provide habitat for other animals during droughts.
- They are considered an important species for maintaining ecological diversity in wetlands.
Chinese Alligator
- The Chinese alligator is currently found in only the Yangtze River valley in China.
- The Chinese alligator is smaller than the American alligator, rarely exceeding 2.1 m (7 ft) in length.
- It also weighs considerably less than the American alligator, with males rarely over 45 kg (100 lb).
- The Chinese alligator is highly endangered, with only a few dozen believed to be left in the wild. This is largely because of hunting, pollution, and habitat destruction.
- More Chinese alligators live in zoos around the world than can be found in the wild.
Alligator Diet
- The type of food eaten by alligators depends upon their age and size.
- When young, alligators eat food like fish, insects, worms, and crustaceans.
- As they mature, larger prey is taken, including turtles, and various mammals, as well as birds, deer, and other reptiles.
- Alligators do not normally regard humans as prey, but they may attack in self-defense.
Reproduction and Hatchlings
- Researchers believe that alligators become sexually mature at 10 to 12 years old.
- When a gator reaches around 6 feet (nearly 2 m) in length is also an accepted indicator of sexual maturity for females.
- The mating season is in late spring.
- In summer, the female builds a nest of vegetation where the decomposition of the vegetation provides the heat needed to incubate the eggs.
- A male will attract a female by making a bellowing noise that makes their body vibrate and water dance on their backs. They will also slap their heads on the water.
- Pregnant females lay three or four dozen eggs in late June or early July.
- The incubation period lasts 63-68 days, with the eggs hatching in mid-August or early September.
- The sex of the offspring is determined by the temperature in the nest and is fixed within seven to 21 days of the start of incubation.
- Incubation temperatures of 30 Β°C (86 Β°F) or lower produce a clutch of females.
- Those of 34 Β°C (93 Β°F) or higher produce entirely males.
- Nests constructed on leaves are hotter than those constructed on the wet marsh, so the former tend to produce males and the latter, females.
- When the young begin making a high-pitch noise, the female alligator begins to dig them out of the nest.
- The baby alligator’s egg tooth helps it get out of its egg during hatching time.
- The babies are born with a series of yellow bands around their bodies.
- The mother defends the nest from predators and assists the hatchlings to the water.
- Hatchlings will typically feed on small prey such as snails, crabs, and worms.
- Alligator mothers provide protection to the young for about a year if they remain in the area.
- Adult alligators are known to regularly cannibalize (eat) younger gators. Between predators like large fish, birds, and other gators, not many young will survive their first few years of life.
- Alligators have a life span of approximately 30 years in the wild and up to 50 years in captivity, but there is evidence that they can live to over 80 years old.
Alligators and Humans
- Alligator farms are established for the breeding and raising of alligators in order to produce alligator meat and skin for the leather industry.
- Skin, when tanned, is used for the manufacture of belts, handbags, shoes, luggage, and other leather items.
- Alligators also provide economic benefits through the ecotourism industry. Visitors take swamp tours, in which alligators are a feature.
- In Louisiana alone, alligator farming is a $70+ million industry.
Alligator Worksheets
This bundle contains 10 ready-to-use Alligator Worksheets that are perfect for students who want to learn more about an Alligator which is a group of animals in the order Crocodilia. The genus Alligator has two living species, the American Alligator and the Chinese Alligator.
Download includes the following worksheets
- Alligator Facts
- Gator and Croc – Compare and Contrast
- The Mighty – Saltwater Monster
- Freshwater Monster
- Gator Body – External and Internal Functions
- Gator Life Cycle
- Gator Myths – Truth from Myths
- More Gator – Gator Word Creator
- Gatorynth
- Key Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an alligator and a crocodile?
Alligators have a wider, U-shaped snout, while crocodiles have a pointier, V-shaped snout.
Where do alligators live?
Alligators are usually found in freshwater and slow-moving rivers. They also live in swamps, marshes, and lakes.
Do alligators eat other alligators?
Adult alligators are known to eat other alligators. Alligators are carnivorous and prey on any animal that is available when they are hungry.
Which is bigger, an alligator or a crocodile?
Crocodiles are the larger species and fully grown will be up to a meter longer than even large alligators.
Is an alligator stronger than a crocodile?
Crocodiles have a stronger bite than alligators.
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Link will appear as Alligator Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, September 18, 2017
Use With Any Curriculum
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