An Alligator is a large reptile that has been around since the dinosaur roamed the earth, and is indeed the dinosaur's distant cousin.http://www.no-pest.com/AmericanAlligator.htm There are two types of alligators: the American Alligator native to the United States, and the Chinese Alligator, native to China.
Many people ask, “Are alligators lizards?” No. Here’s where the split occurs within the scientific taxonomy classification:
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Reptilia
For the American Alligator:
- Order: Crocodylia
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Reptilia
For a lizard in general:
- Order: Squamata
Where did the alligator get its name? The origin of the word is Spanish, and the name was “el legarto,” which does mean “the lizard.” Over time, the words melted together to create alligator, which is not a lizard, although 15th century Spaniards could certainly have believed that it was. http://www.qsl.net/n0fyt/word.htm
How much does an alligator weigh? The average weight of an adult male American alligator about 800 pounds, but it can weigh up 1000 pounds. Females are about half the size of the males.
How long is an alligator? This is where alligators have something in common with their lizard relatives - a good portion of their overall length is their tail. Females average about 8.5 ft., and about 11.5 ft. for the males.
Alligator vs. Pythons in Florida
For many years, alligators in Florida have been plagued by the feral Burmese pythons flourishing there. National Geographic reported that a 13-foot python in the Everglades tried to eat a 6-foot long alligator and subsequently exploded.http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/10/1006_051006_pythoneatsgator.html Scientists theorize that people with the snakes as pets let them go when they became too large. They can grow to be 20 feet. Indigenous to Burma, the pythons find the similar climate in Florida perfect for their survival and procreation.http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/06/0603_040603_invasivespecies.html
Alligator Encounters
If you ever have the opportunity to see an alligator up close and personal, grab it. (The opportunity, not the alligator.) One way to do this is to go some place that specializes in alligators encounters. Like Gator Land which is just outside Orlando, Florida. Another is to take a swamp or bayou tour. Go online if you plan to visit New Orleans, Louisiana. Add a swamp tour to your agenda, along with a walk along Bourbon St. The swamps are not far away. Even though watermelon is not part of an alligator's usual diet, some cool watermelon on a hot day was a treat for these living dinosaurs.
Baby Alligators
Like all reptiles, alligators are cold-blooded (exothermic) and require a warm climate. The longest alligator ever measured was 20 ft. long. Even when they are babies, alligators instinctively do a "roll" to evade predators or to overcome prey. The alligator's eyes and nostrils are positioned high on the head to enable them to hover beneath the surface of the water, as shallow as one foot, to stalk prey. Alligators have extra eyelids to protect their eyes when they are diving into the water.
Alligator Books and Related Merchandise
Google Books: The Alligator and its Allies
Amazon.com: Alligator Books and Merchandise
Barnes & Noble: Alligator Books | Alligator DVD's
Google Book Search: Alligator Books
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References
Fast Facts
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Order
Crocodylia
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Weight
800 Pounds
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Length
Average male is about 11.5 feet long
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Lifespan
50 years or more
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Habitat
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Population
Florida is estimated to have over one million wild alligators
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Water Environment
Live in freshwater as well as brackish
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Chinese Alligators
More Chinese alligators live in zoos then in the wild
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Head Shape
Alligators have U-shaped heads, Crocodiles V-shaped heads
