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 An American Alligator in captivity at the Columbus Zoo, in Powell, Ohio
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| Alligator mississippiensis (Daudin, 1801) |
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 American Alligator range map
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The American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is one of the two living species of Alligator, a genus within the family Alligatoridae. François Marie Daudin ( March 25, 1774 &ndash1804 was a French Zoologist. In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. for differences between alligators and crocodiles please see Crocodilia An Alligator is a Crocodilian in the Genus Alligators and caimans are Archosaurs Species of Crocodilians and form the family Alligatoridae (sometimes regarded instead The American Alligator is native only to the southeastern United States, where it inhabits wetlands that frequently overlap with human-populated areas. The US Southeast is the eastern portion of the Southern United States, but the Census Bureau does not provide a standard definition of a "Southeast" region The United States of America —commonly referred to as the It is larger than the other Alligator species, the Chinese Alligator. The Chinese Alligator or Yangtze Alligator ( Alligator sinensis) is one of two known living species of Alligator, a genus in the family
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Anatomy
Detail of an American Alligator forelimb showing the large claws and slight webbing between the toes.
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Tail is for aquatic propulsion and as weapon of defense
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The American Alligator has a large, slightly rounded body, with thick limbs, a broad head, and a very powerful tail. Adult male alligators are typically 13 to 14. 7 feet long (3. 96 to 4. 48 meters), while adult females average 9. 8 feet (2. 99 meters). [1][2] The average weight of male alligators is 182 kg (400 lb) and 72 kg (160 lbs) for females. [3] Mature males can reach 14 feet (4. 24 meters) long and weigh 1000 lbs (454. 5 kg). [4] One American Alligator allegedly reached a length of 19 feet, 2 inches (5. 8 meters),[5] which would make it the largest recorded. The tail, which accounts for half of the alligator's total length, is primarily used for aquatic propulsion. The tail can also be used as a weapon of defense when an alligator feels threatened. Alligators travel very quickly in water, are generally slow-moving on land and can lunge short distances very quickly. They have five toes in front and four in back.
Habitat
Alligators are presently found throughout the southeastern United States, from Merchants Millpond State Park in North Carolina to Texas and south to southeastern Oklahoma. The US Southeast is the eastern portion of the Southern United States, but the Census Bureau does not provide a standard definition of a "Southeast" region Merchants Millpond State Park is a North Carolina state park in Gates County, North Carolina in the United States. North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. Oklahoma ( is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America.
Alligators live in wetlands, and it is this vital habitat that holds the key to their continued long-term survival. A wetland is an area of Land consisting of Soil that is Saturated with Moisture, such as a Swamp, Marsh, or Bog Alligators depend on the wetlands, and in some ways the wetlands depend on them. As predators at the top of the food chain, they help control the population of rodents and other animals that might overtax the marshland vegetation. Food chains, also called food networks and/or trophic networks, describe the feeding relationships between species within an Ecosystem. In Geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of Wetland which is subject
American alligators are less susceptible to cold than American crocodiles. The American crocodile ( Crocodylus acutus) is the most widespread of the four extant species of Crocodiles from the Americas. Unlike the American crocodile which would quickly succumb and drown in water of 7. 2 degrees, an alligator can survive in such temperatures for some time without apparent discomfort. It is thought that this adaptiveness is the reason why American alligators spread farther north than the American crocodile. [6] In fact, the American alligator is the most northernly distributed of all crocodilians and the one most equipped to deal with cooler conditions. [7]
Gator holes
The alligator's greatest value to the marsh and the other animals that inhabit it are the "gator holes" that many adults create and expand on over a period of years. An alligator uses its mouth and claws to uproot vegetation to clear out a space; then, shoving with its body and slashing with its powerful tail, it wallows out a depression that stays full of water in the wet season and holds water after the rains stop. During the dry season, and particularly during extended droughts, gator holes provide vital water for fish, insects, crustaceans, snakes, turtles, birds, and other animals in addition to the alligator itself.
Sometimes, the alligator may expand its gator hole by digging beneath an overhanging bank to create a hidden den. After tunneling as far as 20 feet (6 m), it enlarges the end, making a chamber with a ceiling high enough above water level to permit breathing. This is not the alligator's nest but merely a way for the reptile to survive the dry season and winters.
Diet
Alligators eat almost anything, but primarily consume fish, birds, turtles, mammals and amphibians. Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. Turtles are Reptiles of the Order Testudines (all living turtles belong to the Crown group Chelonia) most of Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands Prehistoric amphibian Amphibians (class Amphibia such as Frogs Toads Salamanders Newts Gymnophiona, Sirens and Hatchlings however are restricted to smaller prey items like invertebrates. An invertebrate is an Animal lacking a Vertebral column. The group includes 98% of all animal Species — all animals except those in the Chordate Insects and larvae, snails, spiders and worms make-up a big portion of a hatchling's diet. Insects ( Class Insecta) are a major group of Arthropods and the most diverse group of Animals on the Earth with over a million described A larva ( Latin; plural larvae) is a juvenile form of Animal with indirect development, undergoing Metamorphosis (for example The word snail is a Common name that can be used for almost all members of the Molluscan class Gastropoda which have coiled shells in the Spiders are Predatory Invertebrate Animals that have two body segments, eight legs no chewing mouth parts and no wings A worm is a common name given to a diverse group of invertebrate animals that have a long soft body and no legs They will also eat small fish at any opportunity. Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two As they grow, they gradually move onto larger fish, mollusks, frogs and small mammals like rats and mice. Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two Molluscs are animals belonging to the phylum Mollusca. There are around 250000 extant Species within the phylum with an estimated 70000 This article is about the block cipher algorithm For the ultrafast laser pulse measurement technique see Frequency-resolved optical gating. Rats are various medium sized long-tailed Rodents of the superfamily Muroidea A mouse (plural mice) is a small Animal that belongs to one Sub adult alligators take a larger variety of prey; ranging from snakes and turtles to birds and moderate sized mammals like raccoons and pets. A snake is an elongate Reptile of the suborder Serpentes Like all reptiles snakes are covered in scales. Turtles are Reptiles of the Order Testudines (all living turtles belong to the Crown group Chelonia) most of Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands The raccoon ( Procyon lotor) (sometimes spelt as racoon) also known as the common raccoon, North American raccoon, northern raccoon A pet is an Animal kept for companionship and enjoyment or a househeld animal as opposed to Livestock, Laboratory animals Working animals
Once an alligator reaches adulthood, any animal living in the water or coming to water to drink is potential prey. Adult alligators will eat razorbacks, deer, domestic animals including cattle and sheep, and are often known to kill and eat smaller alligators. Razorbacks, also referred to as an Old World swine, Eurasian wild Boar, or Russian wild boar, are Feral Pigs that were brought A deer is a Ruminant Mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family In rare instances, large male alligators have been known to take down Florida panther and American black bears, making the American alligator the apex predator throughout its distribution. The Florida panther is a critically endangered representative of Cougar ( Puma concolor) that lives in the low pinelands palm forests and The American Black Bear ( Ursus americanus) is the most common Bear Species native to North America. [8]
The stomachs of alligators often contain gastroliths. Gastroliths (' Stomach stones' or ' Gizzard stones' are rocks, which are or have been held inside the digestive tract of an animal The function of these stones is to grind up food in the stomach and help with digestion. This is important because gators swallow their food whole. These gastroliths are also used in buoyancy control. Gastroliths (' Stomach stones' or ' Gizzard stones' are rocks, which are or have been held inside the digestive tract of an animal In Physics, buoyancy ( BrE IPA: /ˈbɔɪənsi/ is the upward Force on an object produced by the surrounding liquid or gas in which it is
Despite the extensiveness of their shared habitat with humans, alligator attacks on humans are comparatively rare. Most alligators fear humans due to hunting; attacks on humans are typically a result of feeding of alligators. Once a human feeds an alligator, it expects food whenever it sees someone.
In 2002, the bite force was measured on a 12 foot alligator and the result was about 2100 pounds of force[9].
Reproduction
The breeding season begins in the spring. Reproduction is the Biological process by which new individual Organisms are produced Although alligators have no vocal cords, males bellow loudly to attract mates and warn off other males during this time by sucking air into their lungs and blowing it out in intermittent, deep-toned roars. The vocal folds, also known commonly as vocal cords, are composed of twin infoldings of Mucous membrane stretched horizontally across the Larynx.
The female builds a nest of vegetation, sticks, leaves, and mud in a sheltered spot in or near the water. A nest is a place of refuge to hold an animal's eggs and/or provide a place to raise their offspring After she lays her 20 to 50 white, goose-egg-sized eggs, she covers them under more vegetation, which, like mulch, heats as it decays, helping to keep the eggs warm. Goose (plural geese) is the English name for a considerable number of Birds belonging to the family Anatidae. This differs from Nile crocodiles who lay their eggs in pits. The Nile crocodile ( Crocodylus niloticus) is an African Reptile of the family Crocodylidae. [6] The temperature at which alligator eggs develop determines their sex. Those eggs which are hatched in temperatures ranging from 90–93 °Fahrenheit (32. 2–33. 8 °C) turn out to be male, while those in temperatures from 82–86 °Fahrenheit (27. 7–30 °C) end up being female. Intermediate temperature ranges have proven to yield a mix of both male and females. The female will remain near the nest throughout the 65-day incubation period, protecting the nest from intruders. When the young begin to hatch they emit a high-pitched croaking noise, and the female quickly digs them out.
The young, which are tiny replicas of adult alligators with a series of yellow bands around their bodies, then find their way to water. For several days they continue to live on yolk masses within their bellies. The baby spends about 5 months with the mother before leaving her
Alligators reach breeding maturity at about 8 to 13 years of age, at which time they are about 6 to 7 feet (1. 8–2. 1 m) long. From then on, growth continues at a slower rate. The oldest males may grow to be 16 feet (4. 85 m)[10] long and weigh up to 1,200 pounds (510 kg) during a lifespan of 30 or more years.
Attacks on people and Alligator safety
Alligators are capable of killing humans, but generally fear humans enough to avoid them as prey, and are far less dangerous than the infamous Nile crocodile and Saltwater crocodile. Everglades National Park is a national park in the US state of Florida. The Nile crocodile ( Crocodylus niloticus) is an African Reptile of the family Crocodylidae. The saltwater or estuarine crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus) is the largest of all living Crocodilians and Reptiles It is found in suitable Alligator bites are serious injuries due to the risk of infection. Inadequate treatment or neglect of an alligator bite may result in an infection that necessitates amputation of a limb. Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma or Surgery. The alligator's tail is a fearsome weapon capable of knocking a person down and breaking bones. Even though they rarely kill, they should be left alone. Untrained individuals should never feed them (an illegal practice in Florida) because an alligator that associates people with food can become a dangerous problem animal. Alligators are protective parents, and a very young alligator may have a mother nearby who will protect her young by attacking anything that comes too close. They are best appreciated at a safe distance for the protection of both persons and alligators; handling of them is best left to well-equipped and trained experts.
There were only nine fatal attacks in the U. S. throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s, but alligators killed 12 people from 2001 to 2007 In May 2006, alligators killed three Floridians in four days, two of them in the same day. One victim was a jogger whose body was found in a canal on Florida's Atlantic coast; one was snorkeling in a recreation area near Lake George, in the central part of the state; another was found in a canal on the state's Gulf Coast.
When in areas populated by alligators, it is a wise practice to know which lakes and rivers are inhabited by alligators and avoid being in the water with them. Alligators, sometimes quite large specimens, can even be found in less traditional waterways, such as drainage canals, ditches, golf-course ponds and storm-water retention ponds. In many areas, posted signs warn of their presence, but some alligators may be present without such a warning. Evidence of an area being inhabited by gators include alligator slides onshore (these are markers where the belly of the gator has slid down the bank into the water) and large piles of muddy sticks and foliage in spring which indicate nesting sites. Pet owners should not let their dogs and cats swim in or even approach any body of fresh water in which alligators might be or even roam; dogs and cats are easy prey for alligators. The tail deserves attention as a weapon that can knock a person down. As with any other large predator, panic only intensifies the danger. Whatever the circumstances of the confrontation, one must avoid being taken into the water in which the alligator has every advantage, including the ability to drown a person as well as intimate knowledge of the terrain.
Several Florida tourist attractions have taken advantage of fears and myths about alligators -- as well as reality of their danger -- through a practice known as alligator wrestling. Created in the early 20th Century by some members of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, this tourism tradition continues to the present day.
Endangered species recovery
Historically, alligators were depleted from many parts of their range as a result of market hunting and loss of habitat, and 30 years ago many people believed this unique reptile would never recover. In 1967, the alligator was listed as an endangered species (under a law that preceded the Endangered Species Act of 1973), meaning it was considered in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. The Endangered Species Act of 1973 ( et seq or ESA is the most wide-ranging of the dozens of United States environmental laws passed in the 1970s In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa.
A combined effort by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, state wildlife agencies in the South, and the creation of large, commercial alligator farms saved these unique animals. The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive The Endangered Species Act outlawed alligator hunting, allowing the species to rebound in numbers in many areas where it had been depleted. Hunting is the practice of pursuing Animals for Food, Recreation, or Trade. As the alligator began to make a comeback, states established alligator population monitoring programs and used this information to ensure alligator numbers continued to increase. In 1987, the Fish and Wildlife Service pronounced the American alligator fully recovered and consequently removed the animal from the list of endangered species. The Fish and Wildlife Service still regulates the legal trade in alligator skins and products made from them.
Although the American alligator is secure, some related animals — such as several species of crocodiles and caimans — are still in trouble. Alligators and caimans are Archosaurs Species of Crocodilians and form the family Alligatoridae (sometimes regarded instead
Dangers in South Florida
In South Florida, alligators face ambient temperature patterns unlike elsewhere in their range. The consistently high temperatures lead to increased metabolic cost. Metabolism is the set of Chemical reactions that occur in living Organisms in order to maintain Life.
Alligators in the Everglades have reduced length to weight ratio, reduced total length, and delayed onset of sexual maturity compared with other parts of their range. Everglades is also the name of a city in Collier County Florida The reason for this poor condition is currently suspected to be a combination of low food availability and sustained high temperatures.
Additionally, the Everglades National Park has confirmed in 2003 that there is a significant population of Burmese pythons in South Florida. The Burmese Python ( Python molurus bivittatus) is the largest subspecies of the Indian Python and one of the 6 largest Snakes in the world native These non-native snakes have sometimes won[11][12] and sometimes lost (see adjacent image)[13] in battles with alligators, but the introduction of a potential predator could have a devastating impact on endangered species as many have been found in the stomachs of these invaders. [13]
See also
Notes
- ^ Crocodile Species - American Alligator
- ^ http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Alligator_mississippiensis.html
- ^ http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/5960/alligator.html
- ^ <http://www.eparks.org/marine_and_coastal/marine_wildlife/alligator.asp>
- ^ Everglades National Park article on the American Alligator
- ^ a b Guggisberg, C. The American crocodile ( Crocodylus acutus) is the most widespread of the four extant species of Crocodiles from the Americas. This is a list of fatal alligator attacks that occurred in the United States in reverse chronological order by decade A. W. (1972). Crocodiles: Their Natural History, Folklore, and Conservation, pp. 195. ISBN 0715352725.
- ^ http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T6J-48KDGFY-4&_user=1533172&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000053602&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=1533172&md5=cddc21d1141e26142012778f6d066894
- ^ http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/a/american_alligator.htm
- ^ <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/03/020328073615.htm>
- ^ http://animal.discovery.com/fansites/crochunter/australiazoo/06amerigator.html
- ^ Gator-guzzling python comes to messy end. Published 2005-10-05 by The Associated Press, last accessed 2008-03-11. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 869 - The Fourth Council of Constantinople is convened to decide about what to do about Patriarch Photius of Constantinople The Associated Press ( AP) is an American News agency. The AP is a Cooperative owned by its contributing Newspapers radio 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty
- ^ Butler, Rhett A. (2005-10-05 Python explodes after swallowing 6-foot alligator in Florida Everglades. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 869 - The Fourth Council of Constantinople is convened to decide about what to do about Patriarch Photius of Constantinople Mongabay. com, last accessed 2008-03-11
- ^ a b U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey (2008-02-20). 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty The United States Department of the Interior ( DOI) is a Cabinet department of the United States government that manages and conserves most federally The United States Geological Survey ( USGS) is a scientific agency of the United States government. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1472 - Orkney and Shetland are left by Norway to Scotland, due to a Dowry payment USGS Maps Show Potential Non-Native Python Habitat Along Three U.S. Coasts. www. usgs. gov, last accessed 2008-03-11. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty
External links
- Crocodilian Online http://www.crocodilian.com
- Photo exhibit on alligators in Florida; made available by the State Archives of Florida
- Thermoregulation of the American Alligator in the Everglades
- American Alligator information sheet
- Podcast of an interview with a Seminole alligator wrestler; made available for public use by the State Archives of Florida
- [1] - click here to listen to alligator bellows and hisses
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