Alligators
...ingly fast bursts of speed, if only for a short distance. It has been said that an alligator can out run a horse for a distance of thirty feet. Even with all of this the alligator was blessed with a brain that is only about the size of a man’s thumb. The sexual maturity of the alligator is dependent upon the size of the animal rather than the age. An alligator is generally considered sexually nature when it reaches a length of six feet or more. A wild alligator may attain this length in about ten to twelve years of age. April is breeding season at which time the courtship rituals begin. The courtship rituals involve touching, rubbing, blowing of bubbles, and vocalizations. Vocalizations are made by communicating with sounds that resemble the noise of a running outboard motor. Mating takes place in open water. During breeding season one male may mate with up to ten or more females in his territory. Male alligators are very territorial animals and will defend their area against other male intruders. After mating the female alligator moves into the marshy area near the shore line and begins to construct a nest by scratching together a mound of sticks, mud, and vegetation with her back feet where she will deposit her eggs. In June or July she starts laying her eggs, which usually consists of 40 to 45 eggs. The heat from the breaking-down of nesting materials helps keep the eggs warm. The incubation period for the eggs is 65 days. During this time the female guards her nest. The eggs begin to hatch in August and continue to hatch through September. When baby alligators hatch they make high-pitched grunting noises to alert the mother ‘gator. She will then uncover the nest releasing the babies, which she will pick up with her mouth and carry to the water. She always picks a specific spot in the water where there is an abundant amount of food. She stays around her babies warding off any danger that may be lurking. Mature alligators seek open water areas during April-to-May courtships and breeding season. Males generally prefer open deeper water year-round. Alligators less than four feet typically inhabit the marshy areas of lakes and rivers. Dense vegetation in these habitats provides protective cover and many of the preferred foods of young alligators. Alligators are carnivorous reptiles whose primary feeding time is at night. Small alligators will eat snails, frogs, insects and small fish. Larger ‘gators will eat turtles, snakes, deer, neighborhood dogs, large birds, and feral hogs. Examinations of alligators’ stomachs have even found such objects as stones, sticks, cans, fishing lures, and other assorted items. Alligators swallow their food whole. The teeth of an alligator are conical shaped and are made for grabbing and holding, not for cutting. When dealing with larger prey, an alligator may shake its head or spin its body in order to tear off a piece small enough to swallow. They have also been known to hold food in their mouths until it deteriorates to the point they can swallow it. Alligators have a specialized valve in their throats called a glottis that enables the alligator to capture its prey underwater. However, in order to swallow its food and thus keep itself from drowning an alligator must lift its head out of the water. The alligator is only found in the southeastern...