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Alligator

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Insects, Reptiles and
Fish

                        iAlligators
   An American Alligator in captivity at the Columbus Zoo
   An American Alligator in captivity at the Columbus Zoo
                 Scientific classification

   Kingdom: Animalia
   Phylum:  Chordata
   Class:   Sauropsida
   Order:   Crocodilia
   Family:  Alligatoridae
   Genus:   Alligator
            Daudin, 1809

                                   Species

   Alligator mississippiensis
   Alligator sinensis

   An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family
   Alligatoridae. The name alligator is an anglicized form of the Spanish
   el lagarto ("the lizard"), the name by which early Spanish explorers
   and settlers in Florida called the alligator. There are two living
   alligator species: the American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)
   and the Chinese Alligator (Alligator sinensis).

Description

   Alligators are characterized by a broader snout and eyes more dorsally
   located than their crocodile cousins. Both living species also tend to
   be darker in color, often nearly black but colour is very dependent on
   the water. Algae laden waters produce greener gators. Waters with a lot
   of tannic acid from overhanging trees are often darker. (although the
   Chinese alligator has some light patterning.) Also, in alligators only
   the upper teeth can be seen with the jaws closed (in contrast to true
   crocodiles, in which upper and lower teeth can be seen), though many
   individuals bear jaw deformities which complicate this means of
   identification.

   The eyes of a large alligator will glow red and those of a smaller will
   glow green when a light is shined on them. This fact can be used to
   find alligators in the dark.

   According to the Everglades National Park website, the largest
   alligator ever recorded in Florida was 17 feet 5 inches long (5.3
   meters). The largest alligator ever recorded measured 19 feet 2 inches
   (5.8 meters) and was found on Marsh Island, Louisiana. Few of the giant
   specimens were weighed, but the larger ones could have exceeded a ton
   in weight.

Habitat

   American Alligator
   Enlarge
   American Alligator

   There are only two countries on earth that have alligators: the United
   States and China. The Chinese alligator is endangered and lives only in
   the Yangtze River valley though currently Rockefeller Wildlife refuge
   in southern Louisiana has several in captivity in an attempt to
   preserve the species. The American Alligator is found in the United
   States from the Carolinas to Florida and along the Gulf Coast. The
   majority of American Alligators inhabit Florida and Louisiana. In
   Florida alone there are an estimated more than 1 million alligators.
   The United States is the only nation on earth where both alligators and
   crocodiles live side by side. American Alligators live in freshwater
   environments, such as ponds, marshes, wetlands, rivers, and swamps. In
   China, they live only along the fresh water of the Yangtze River.

Behaviour

   Enlarge

   Large male alligators are solitary, territorial animals. Smaller
   alligators can often be found in large numbers in close proximity to
   each other. The largest of the species (both males and females), will
   defend prime territory; smaller alligators have a higher tolerance of
   other alligators within a similar size class.

   Although alligators have heavy bodies and slow metabolisms, they are
   capable of short bursts of speed that can exceed 30 miles per hour
   though this could more properly be classified as a short fast lunge
   rather than a dash. Alligators' main prey are smaller animals that they
   can kill and eat with a single bite. Alligators may kill larger prey by
   grabbing it and dragging it in the water to drown. Alligators consume
   food that cannot be eaten in one bite by allowing it to rot or by
   biting and then spinning or convulsing wildly until bite size pieces
   are torn off. This is referred to as the "death roll."

Diet

   Alligators are opportunistic feeders, eating almost anything they can
   catch. When they are young they eat fish, insects, snails, and
   crustaceans. As they grow they take progressively larger prey items,
   including: larger fish such as gar, turtles, various mammals, birds,
   and other reptiles. Their stomachs also often contain gastroliths. They
   will even consume carrion if they are sufficiently hungry. Adult
   alligators can take razorbacks and deer and are well known to kill and
   eat smaller alligators. In some cases, larger alligators have been
   known to hunt the Florida panther and bears, making it the apex
   predator throughout its distribution. As humans encroach onto to their
   habitat, attacks on humans are few but not unknown. Alligators, unlike
   the large crocodiles, do not immediately regard a human upon encounter
   as prey.

   Unfortunately, human deaths caused by alligators have increased. While
   there were only 9 fatal attacks in the U.S.A. from the 1970s to the
   1990s, 11 people were killed by alligators from 2001 to 2006. More
   deaths occurred in this 5-year period than did in the previous 30. For
   a long time people have been taught that alligators fear humans, which
   is true, but this has led some people to be foolhardy and enter the
   animal's habitat in ways that provoke aggression.

Reproduction

   Alligator eggs and young
   Enlarge
   Alligator eggs and young

   The sexual maturity of the alligator is dependent more upon the size of
   the animal than its age. An alligator is generally considered sexually
   mature when it reaches a length of six feet or more. Alligators are
   seasonal breeders. The mating season is in spring when the water warms.
   The female builds a nest of vegetation that rots, incubating the eggs.
   The mother will defend the nest from predators and will assist the
   babies to water once they hatch. She will provide protection to the
   young for about a year if they remain in the area.

Farming

   Alligator farming is a big and growing industry in Florida, Texas and
   Louisiana. These states produce a combined annual total of some 45,000
   alligator hides. Alligator hides bring good prices and hides in the 6-7
   foot range have sold for $300 each though the price can fluctuate
   considerably from year to year. The market for alligator meat is
   growing and approximately 300,000 pounds of meat is produced annually.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alligator"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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