When you think of Florida you think of sunshine, beaches, palm trees and yes alligators. These fascinating reptiles can be seen through out Florida in fresh water ponds, lakes, canals and rivers. Occasionally one might see a “gator” swimming around in their pool or sunning themselves on the local golf course. Wherever you might see an alligator it is true that they are an awesome sight and command respect.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?
The alligator’s name is entwined with Florida’s history. When explorers from Spain came to Florida they called this strange unknown creature “el largarto” which means “the lizard” in Spanish. English settlers and sailors later corrupted “el largarto” into “allagarto” or “allagarter”.

ABOUT “GATORS”

If happen to see a gator in the water most likely you only see on the surface the alligators head and part of its back protrude above the water. While in this position the alligator can breathe, see, hear, smell and taste. When a gator submerges under the water it can hold its breath beneath the water for several hours, providing it stays still or moves slowly.

The alligator can be seen in the United States from North Carolina to Texas. In Florida the breeding season is usually the beginning of April. Wild female gators begin to reproduce at the age of 8 to 10 years old. Captive gators usually around 6 years of age. The alligators have a keen sense of smell. There are two glands near the base of the tail that emit scents that can be detected by other gators. These scents are important for locating and attracting mates.

A male usually only mates with one female during the season. Once the female selects her mate he will follow her around for several days. About two months after mating the female will build her nest by scraping together a mound of earth and plant debris about 2 to 3 feet high. She will then lay between 30 and 50 eggs. The eggs are usually laid at night. The eggs will incubate for about 2 months.

Shortly before baby alligators begin to hatch they emit a high pitched barking sound. The mother responds by opening the nest and sometimes helping her young to hatch by carefully cracking the eggshells in her mouth. The babies may stay with their mothers for a few days to a year.

DINNER TIME: 
Alligators eat anything they can catch such as fish, turtles, raccoons, birds, dead animals, and even other alligators.

An alligator can float motionless in the water with only its eyes and nostrils exposed, waiting for its meal. The powerful jaws can easily crush the shell of a turtle or the bones of an animal.

INTERESTING FACTS:
• Alligators have survived from the age of dinosaurs. They lived of the great age of Reptiles approximately 100 million years ago.
• The largest gator ever recorded was 19 feet 2 inches back in 1890 in Louisianna.
• An alligator is considered a “herptile”. This word refers to both reptiles and amphibians.
• The only other species of alligator are found in China and are rare and smaller then the American alligator.
• Crocodilians is a name for not just crocodiles but also alligators.
• Alligators and crocodiles are protected by state and federal laws.
• Alligators are listed as threatened and the crocodile as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act.
• Alligators contribute to the health of wetlands by maintaining ponds that serve as vital dry season refuges for aquatic life.
• The sex of an alligator is determined by the temperature at which the egg is incubated. Hatchlings from eggs incubated at or below 86 degrees Fahrenheit are all female and at or above 93 degrees Fahrenheit are males.
• In captivity alligators have lived more than 50 years; in the wild, 30 to 35 is probably the maximum life span.

Brave turtles sunbathe with an alligator.

*All pictures are taken by R.A.Halasz and are the property of the Sand Sifters.*

© 2008 Sand Sifters