Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2022 5:08:25 GMT
The American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is a semi-aquatic reptile found in the Southern USA in swamps and marshes.
Males average 500lbs, but some reach sizes of 1,000lbs. The average weight of female alligators is 200lbs, with weights varying between individuals.
Male alligators average 11ft while females average 8ft.
They predate upon deer, boars, fish, snakes among other animals. However, they can also be found eating plant matter and are seed dispersers.
Although an adult alligator is generally immune to predation and assume apex predator status, their eggs are eaten by various reptiles such as monitor lizards, tegus and pythons.
Male alligators will bellow, snap their jaws and raise their tail high causing vibrations in the water to attract females. During mating season (June/July), alligators will generally be more aggressive.
Female alligators lay around 60 eggs, when alligators hatch they will break out of the egg using a ''tooth'' on their snout to break out which disappears afterwards. They will croak to alert the mother, and the mother will scoop them up in her jaws and carry them out to the water. Male alligators do not participate in taking care of the hatchlings.
During winter or a cold night, alligators will sink to the bottom of the water where it is warmer.
While alligators typically reside in freshwater swamps and marshes, they may also go to the ocean. They can not permanently survive there, while freshwater crocodiles can due to their ability to filter out salt that alligators can not do as efficiently, so while they will go to the ocean they need to return back to freshwater. The alligator's salt filtering abilities do allow it to permanently reside in brackish water.