Florida Alligators

I know they have a very harsh exterior, but they are actually very shy unless provoked. I could sit and watch these marvelous reptiles for hours. I am very fortunate to be able to sit out on my dock and what them swim up and down my channel, or bathe on a log in the sun or on the end of my dock.

I am so mesmerized by these wonderful reptiles that it has made me want to find out all I can about them. I feel so very grateful as to be able to share my love and knowledge of the Florida Alligators with you.

My amazement with the alligators started when I was younger. I used to visit my Grandpa in Astor Florida and we would go on boat rides up the St. Johns River which in itself was a lot of fun. But then we would take a break and just take a nice relaxing ride down several channels and here is where you are able to see alligators and lots of other animals like turtles, manatees, birds, and many others. My brother and I used to sit very still and watch carefully to try and spot as many alligators as possible. Now those of you who have kids know just how hard it is to keep kids still and quiet at the same time. But we did it. We wanted to make sure that we didn't scare the alligators and make them go under the water. We would see every shape and size of gator from small babies to full grown adults. It actually became a game to see who could spot a gator that was almost impossible for anyone to see. This was hard because although they are bit they blend in with their surrounding very well.

Well, this actually became my favorite part of the boat ride. And it still is. I now live in Florida and take the same boat rides as I did with my Grandpa, and do you want to know what? NOTHING HAS CHANGED. Now an adult and a mother I love sharing this experience with my daughter. And when my brother and I are on the boat together we still find ourselves playing the same game, and it has begun to be passed down to our kids. HOW WONDERFUL IS THAT!!

Now that you have gotten a little bit of history on me, I am going to share some of what I have learned about these marvelous creatures.

The alligator is an amazing reptile, having survived almost unchanged since the time of the dinosaurs. Having been hunted almost to the brink of extinction, this reptile has made an amazing comeback in recent years, inhabiting almost every body of water in Florida. The American Alligator is found only in the southeastern part of the United States with the highest populations found in Florida and Louisiana.

These reptiles are covered with scales or other hard protective plates. They have two holes behind the eye socket that serve as attachment sites for muscles, enabling them to extend the muscles while exerting literally tons of pressure on their prey. Yet surprisingly, the jaw muscles are weak and can actually be held together with a thick rubber band. They have five long toes on their front feet which provide them with a firm footing on land. Their webbed back feet have only 4 toes, which help them to steer in the water. Alligators are armed with 80 potentially lethal teeth, shaped like cones, making them perfect for both grabbing and holding onto prey. Below each tooth is a replacement tooth that will appear when they primary tooth gets damaged or worn. The teeth are not suitable for chewing. Alligators swallow their prey either in large chunks or whole depending on the size of the prey.

The alligator is a very important part of our wildlife heritage, and plays an extremely important part in Florida's ecosystem. During the dry season, alligators dig deep depressions or holes into the muck of the marsh that then become small ponds or "gator holes." These gator holes provide safe havens for not only alligators but other aquatic wildlife, and become a part of the local landscape as habitats. Then in the wet season, the wildlife preserved in the gator holes actually provides the seed stock for replenishing and repopulating the rejuvenated marshlands. Because of this interesting cycle, alligators often have been dubbed the "keepers of the 'Glades."

The relationship between alligators and man dates back thousands of years. The first human residents of Florida hunted the alligator for its hide and meat. The teeth of an alligator were believed to be a magical ward against snakebites, as alligators were thought to be immune to the bite of poisonous snakes. Which since has been proved to be a myth. The leather was used by the natives to make all types of leather items, even musical instruments such as drums. People and alligators can co-exist peacefully as long as we respect their presence as an integral part of the Florida wetlands; alligators keep other species of animals in check by hunting them, which is an essential part of the ecosystem.

When the Spaniards first arrive in Florida, they were amazed at this large reptile calling it "el lagarto" meaning the lizard. It is from this early Spanish term that we derived the name alligator.

The alligator can grow to an extremely large size and wild alligators of 13 feet or more are not uncommon. Fortunately alligators in the wild do exhibit a natural fear of man, and if left alone would much rather stay away from humans than attack them. Capable of reaching lengths over 13 feet and weighing over 600 pounds alligators have a crushing power of 3000 psi in their jaws. Despite their appearance alligators are extremely quick and agile. They are capable of amazingly fast bursts of speed, but only for a short distance. It has been said that an alligator can out run a horse for a distance of 30 feet

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As a general rule, alligators are more active between dusk and dawn and because they are cold blooded, they also tend to be less active when the air temperature is colder. 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 fish, turtles, snakes, waterfowl, small mammals, and even smaller alligators. Examinations of alligators' stomachs have even found such objects as stones, sticks, cans, fishing lures and other assorted items. Alligators swallow their food whole. 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 mouth until it deteriorates to the point they can swallow it. Alligators have a specialized valve in their throat called a glottis that enables the gator 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.

Alligators inhabit primarily fresh water to brackish water areas, although they can occasionally be found in salt water. However, alligators lack the salt-extracting glands of crocodiles and are unable to survive in salt water for extended periods of time. Alligators can be found in a range of habitats, including marshland, swamps, rivers, lakes and ponds.

Because they are both crocodilians, alligators and crocodiles look alike and can confuse people about which species they really are. To tell them apart, most people look at the snout. Alligators have a broad and short snout in comparison to the crocodile's long and pointed one. Alligators spend most of their lives in fresh water and need subtropical climates in which to survive, whereas most crocodiles thrive in tropical climates in brackish or saltwater environments, such as parts of Africa, South America, southeastern Asia and Australia. Florida is unique in that it's the only place in the world where you can see both alligators and crocodiles in the same place: the Everglades

My new neighbor is about 12 feet long. I know it's hard to see here just how big he really is, but he is a bit of a distance away. Keep checking back for updates on a picture to show his true size.

Alligators are protected by both state and federal regulations.

**Never feed an alligator (it is illegal) - alligators are generally afraid of humans but if fed regularly they will lose their fear and come to associate food with humans

**Do not take small children or pets close the water's edge or leave them unsupervised - the natural prey of adult alligators includes small mammals

**Be particularly careful when walking near the water or swimming in rivers or lakes, especially if there is floating vegetation - alligators will hide amongst floating vegetation when stalking their prey

**If you disturb an alligator, try to move away from the water - an alligator will typically retreat back towards the water and you do not want to be between it and the water

**If an alligator hisses at you, it means it's afraid - if it doesn't hiss then you should be afraid !!

**If attacked, try to punch, kick or gouge at their nose and eyes

One of the rarest Alligators is The White Alligator. They are restricted to the area of the Southeastern United States. 18 baby White Alligators were found in a bayou southwest of New Orleans in August of 1987. The only recorded discovery of white Alligators. In the nest were also seven normal colored gators. They were all taken to a zoo in Louisiana. Out of those 18 only 10 of them survived.

Like all other Alligators, they also live in freshwater swamps, marshes, rivers, lakes and small bodies of water of the southeastern United States. The only difference between the White Alligator and all others is the color of their skin, which looks like "White Chocolate".

The white Alligator is often referred to as the "Swamp Ghost"

There are actually two kinds of white Alligators. The Albino Alligator and the Leucistic White Alligators. They are very similar, but there is a slight difference between the two. Albino's have red or pink eyes where as Leucistics have blue eyes. Albinos are weak creatures where Leucistics are strong. Leucistics have white pigment where Albinos may display white to yellow skin and colorless irises. There are only about 65-70 Albinos in the world.

Here is a picture of an Albino Alligator notice the pink eyes.

Male White Alligators measure 15 feet and females are below 10 feet. They are the only Alligators among the species that possess white skin. The have webbed feet which makes them very good swimmers. Their snout is broad, while an edge of an upper jaw overlaps the teeth of the lower jaw. Their tails are the most important part of their bodies, it helps them to overpower even other alligators and predators.

As said previous they actually have white skin and beautiful blue eyes.

Sun is actually the biggest enemy of the White Alligator. Since the White Alligator lacks pigmentation they get sun burns very easily. Due to their white skin they are an easy prey.

Legend has it, that those who gaze into the blue yes of the White Alligator will be blessed with good luck for the coming year and prosperity will surely follow.

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Thank you very much for allowing me to share all of this with you. I hope that you are able to take something away with you when you leave here. My hope is that you leave here with a greater love for this gentle giant.