(2010). When young, alligators eat fish, insects, snails, crustaceans, and worms. 1987. It is one of the two extant species in the genus Alligator, and is larger than the only other living alligator species, the Chinese alligator . They can grow to be more than 12 feet (3.6 meters) in length and weigh as much as 1,000 pounds (450 kilograms), with males being slightly larger than females on average. Members of this superfamily first arose in the late Cretaceous, about 10065 million years ago (Mya). [53] There is also fluctuation in the level of bacterial taxa populations in the alligator's microbial community between seasons which helps the alligator cope with different rates of feeding and activity. Almost all of the high-density populations of alligators live south of the Albermarle sound, although some individuals have been reported through the entire coastal region of the state. Louisiana harvested about 30,000 alligators last year--a number almost equivalent to the entire Mississippi alligator population. The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), sometimes referred to colloquially as a gator or common alligator, is a large crocodilian reptile native to the Southeastern United States. Created by the Miccosukee and Seminole tribes prior to the arrival of Europeans, this tourism tradition remains popular despite criticism from animal-rights activists.[130]. [13] One of the oldest recorded alligator lives was that of Saturn, an American alligator who was hatched in 1936 in Mississippi and spent nearly a decade in Germany before spending the majority of its life at the Moscow Zoo, where it died at the age of 83 or 84 on 22 May 2020. Although no valid records exist about its date of birth, as of 2012, it was in its 80s and possibly the oldest alligator living in captivity. TPWD issues the tags, required by state and federal law, based on the alligator population on the privately owned tract. American alligators bellow in B flat (specifically "B1", defined as an audio frequency of 58.27Hz), and bellowing choruses can be induced by tuba players, sonic booms, and large aircraft. This differs from Nile crocodiles, which lay their eggs in pits. [72], American alligators primarily bask on shore, but also climb into and perch on tree limbs to bask if no shoreline is available. 911 Call Reveals Moments After Gator Attacks Elderly Woman. Cannibalism in the American alligator. By the way, Florida declared the alligator their official state reptile in 1987. [20][21], Large male American alligators reach an expected maximum size up to 4.6m (15ft 1in) in length and weighing up to 453kg (999lb), while females reach a maximum of 3m (9ft 10in). [8][9].mw-parser-output table.clade{border-spacing:0;margin:0;font-size:100%;line-height:100%;border-collapse:separate;width:auto}.mw-parser-output table.clade table.clade{width:100%;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-label{min-width:0.2em;width:0.1em;padding:0 0.15em;vertical-align:bottom;text-align:center;border-left:1px solid;border-bottom:1px solid;white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-label::before,.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-slabel::before{content:"\2060 "}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-fixed-width{overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-fixed-width:hover{overflow:visible}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-label.first{border-left:none;border-right:none}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-label.reverse{border-left:none;border-right:1px solid}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-slabel{padding:0 0.15em;vertical-align:top;text-align:center;border-left:1px solid;white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-slabel:hover{overflow:visible}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-slabel.last{border-left:none;border-right:none}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-slabel.reverse{border-left:none;border-right:1px solid}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-bar{vertical-align:middle;text-align:left;padding:0 0.5em;position:relative}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-bar.reverse{text-align:right;position:relative}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-leaf{border:0;padding:0;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-leafR{border:0;padding:0;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-leaf.reverse{text-align:right}.mw-parser-output table.clade:hover span.linkA{background-color:yellow}.mw-parser-output table.clade:hover span.linkB{background-color:green}, Alligator mississippiensis American alligator. Additionally, it weighs considerably less, with males rarely over 45kg (100lb). An alligator with an immobilized tail cannot perform a death roll. [84] Stomach contents show, among native mammals, muskrats and raccoons are some of the most commonly eaten species. Unlike an American crocodile, which would immediately succumb to the cold and drown in water at 45F (7C) or less, an American alligator can survive in such temperatures for some time without displaying any signs of discomfort. Most of the state gets much too cold for gators to survive the winter, but there are some small regions that allow for a small population. For the history, the United States is the only nation on earth where both alligators and . Historically, the American Alligator was common and abundant throughout the southeastern United States. The young are tiny replicas of adults, with a series of yellow bands around their bodies that serve as camouflage. [23], American alligators live in freshwater environments, such as ponds, marshes, wetlands, rivers, lakes, and swamps, as well as in brackish water. [21] [22] A small population is also found in Tamaulipas, in Mexico. Herp highlight #1: American alligator. [64], American alligators are listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) meaning that international trade in the species (including parts and derivatives) is regulated. [12], No average lifespan for an alligator has been measured. It is believed this portion of the stomach serves a similar function as it does in the gizzard of some species of birds, to aid in digestion. Grizzly is observing in the U.S. states of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Montana. (1993). [24] Mother American alligators eventually become more aggressive towards their young, which encourages them to disperse. Such incidents usually involve a panther trying to cross a waterway or coming down to a swamp or river to get a drink. [113] Observers of large bellowing choruses have noted they are often felt more than they are heard due to the intense infrasound emitted by males. [135] Several organizations and products from Florida have been named after the animal. [132] According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, raw alligator meat contains roughly 200 Calories (840 kJ) per 3-oz (85-g) portion, of which 27 Calories (130 kJ) come from fat. Dundee, H. A., and D. A. Rossman. It is enclosed in a pocket in the upper jaw. Substantial American alligator populations in the Everglades might be a contributing factor, as a competitor, in keeping the python populations low, preventing the spread of the species north. [86][85] It has also been reported that large American alligators prey on medium-sized American alligators, which had preyed on hatchlings and smaller juveniles. Only one of the American alligators was collected from the Colorado River, Mesa County, Colorado; the other was never recaptured, but there is no evidence of an established population (Livo et al., 1998). [23][125] Alligator bites are serious injuries, due to the reptile's sheer bite force and risk of infection. The two states that have the most gators are Florida and Louisiana. [123] They may provide a protection service for water birds nesting on islands in freshwater wetlands. Adult alligators are black or dark olive-brown with white undersides, while juveniles have bright yellow or whitish stripes which sharply contrast against their dark hides, providing them additional camouflage amongst reeds and wetland grasses. She will provide protection to the young for about a year if they remain in the area. [50] American alligators have broad snouts, especially in captive individuals. Fossils identical to the existing American alligator are found throughout the Pleistocene, from 2.5 million to 11.7 thousand years ago. [45] For contrast, the sexual dimorphism of saltwater crocodiles is much more extreme, with mature males nearly twice as long as and at least four times as heavy as female saltwater crocodiles. [20] A specimen that was 4.8m (15ft 9in) long and weighed 458.8kg (1,011.5lb) is the largest American alligator killed in Alabama and has been declared the SCI world record in 2014. [24] A few examples of animals consumed are largemouth bass, spotted gar, freshwater pearl mussels, American green tree frogs, yellow mud turtles, cottonmouths, common moorhens, and feral wild boars. [24] Other prey, including snakes, lizards, and various invertebrates, are eaten occasionally by adults. Cooperative Feeding, A Misinterpreted and Under-Reported Behavior of Crocodilians. This experiment had not been, at the time of the paper published, replicated in any other crocodilians, and the same laboratory was able to measure a greater bite force of 16,414N (1,673.8kgf; 3,690lbf) in saltwater crocodiles;[51][52] notwithstanding this very high biting force, the muscles opening the American alligator's jaw are quite weak, and the jaws can be held closed by hand or tape when an American alligator is captured. Most animals captured by American alligators are considerably smaller than itself. In the future, possible American alligator populations may be found in areas of Mexico adjacent to the Texas border. This type of protection allowed the alligator population to increase. Smaller alligators can often be found in large numbers close to each other. [89] Rarely, American alligators have been observed killing and eating bobcats, but such events are not common and have little effect on bobcat populations. Fish and Wildlife Service pronounced the American alligator fully recovered. [94] [115] The female builds a nest of vegetation, sticks, leaves, and mud in a sheltered spot in or near the water. The least populous of the compared places has a population of 383,899. They cause serious damage to coastal marshes and may dig burrows in levees. This doesn't mean that residents should expect to see an alligator hanging out on every corner, but they shouldn't necessarily be shocked to spot an Alligator now and again either. Alligator in captivity The states that have alligators are Florida, Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, North and South Carolina, and Georgia. Females are smaller, measuring 2.6 to 3m (8.5 to 9.8ft) in length. [79] When hunting terrestrial prey, American alligators may also ambush them from the edge of the water by grabbing them and pulling the prey into the water, the preferred method of predation of larger crocodiles. 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