Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: American Alligator Facts and Information

American Alligator Description

The American Alligator has a very thick body and
it has amazing strength. Even the tail has more
strength behind it than the average adult man.
The males are typically about 14 feet long with
the females averaging about 10 feet. The largest
one in history was just over 19 feet. Like all
alligators they have very sharp teeth but this
one holds the record for the strongest bite of
any animal in the entire world.

There is a rare genetic mutation that can make
certain American Alligators albino. They are
missing a gene to create melanin. They do exist
in the wild but they are extremely rare. Due to
the fascination with them though they are
commonly bred in captivity as an attraction at
alligator farms.

American Alligator Distribution

You will only find the American Alligator in the
Southern part of the United States. This includes
Texas, Louisiana, Florida, and Georgia. The
largest number of them are in Florida with a
population of around two million.

They do very well in the wetlands here. However,
they also have a huge problem as they have to
share these areas with humans. Their natural
habitat continues to get smaller and smaller all
the time. They generally stick to freshwater but
can also do very well in the salt water.

American Alligator Behavior

They are very intelligent animals and will
intently study their environment. They are able
to quickly pick up the patterns of other animals
that come into the area. They are slow on land
but don't underestimate them in the water. They
can be aggressive but for the most part tend to
only do so when they feel threatened.

American Alligator Diet and Feeding

The wet marsh areas where the American Alligator
live offer plenty of food for the American
Alligator. In fact, without them here areas of
Florida and Louisiana would have huge problems to
deal with. This is because of the abundance of
rodents found in these areas. They make up the
majority of the food source for this type of
alligator.

They will also eat a variety of birds, snakes,
and different mammals in the area. What they will
eat depends on where they live and their
particular size. When they are very large they
will go for mammals including deer and cattle.
They are also known to successfully take down a
bear or a panther.

They swallow their food whole and use their sharp
teeth to break it into chunks. They will consume
sand and rocks too. These elements assist with
the grinding down of the food that is in their
stomach.

American Alligator Reproduction

Mating occurs in the spring as the temperatures
start to increase. Roars and bellowing sounds can
be heard from the males during this time. They
strive to be able to attract the females with
those sounds. At the same time, they are offering
warnings to other males to stay away.

After mating the pair will go their own
directions. The female will get busy creating a
nest. It can take her several weeks to do this.
She will use what she can find including rocks,
sticks, and mud. She can lay from 20 to 50 eggs
in this nest and then she will build on top of
it. She does so to keep them warm and to prevent
predators from finding them.

The young will be born about 65 days later. They
will make the journey from egg to the water with
their mother. She will care for them until they
are about five months of age. A large number of
these offspring will be eaten by various
predators in the water before they are mature.

American Alligator Conservation

At this time there aren't conservation efforts in
place for the American Alligator. They are doing
very well in their natural environment. There are
efforts in place though to help prevent more of
their habitat from being taken over by humans.
Careful evaluations are done before building in
many of these areas is permitted.

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