American Alligator

The American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is one of the two living species of Alligator, a genus within the family Alligatoridae. The American Alligator is native only to the southeastern United States, where it inhabits wetlands that frequently overlap with human-populated areas. It is larger than the other Alligator species, the Chinese Alligator.

Anatomy
The American Alligator has a large, slightly rounded body, with thick limbs, a broad head, and a very powerful tail. Males can weigh 500 lbs to over 1000 pounds. One American Alligator allegedly reached a length of 19 feet, 2 inches (5.8 meters),[1] which would make it the largest recorded. 13 to 14.5 feet (3.94 to 4.39 meters) is a more common adult size.[2] The tail, which accounts for half of the alligator's total length, is primarily used for aquatic propulsion. The tail can also be used as a weapon of defense when an alligator feels threatened. Alligators travel very quickly in water, are generally slow-moving on land and can lunge short distances very quickly. They have five toes in front and four in back.

Habitat
Today, alligators are found throughout the Southeast, from Merchants Millpond State Park in North Carolina to Texas and south to southeastern Oklahoma.

As during the Reptile Age, alligators live in wetlands, and it is this vital habitat that holds the key to their continued long-term survival. Alligators depend on the wetlands, and in some ways the wetlands depend on them. As predators at the top of the food chain, they help control the population of rodents and other animals that might overtax the marshland vegetation.

Diet
Alligators eat almost anything, but primarily consume fish, birds, turtles, mammals and amphibians. Hatchlings however are restricted to smaller prey items like invertebrates. Insects and larvae, snails, spiders and worms make-up a big portion of a hatchling's diet. They will also eat small fish at any opportunity. As they grow, they gradually move onto larger fish, mollusks, frogs and small mammals like rats and mice. Sub adult alligators take a larger variety of prey; ranging from snakes and turtles to birds and moderate sized mammals like raccoons and pets.

Once an alligator reaches adulthood, any animal living in the water or coming to water to drink is potential prey. Adult alligators will eat razorbacks, deer, domestic animals including cattle and sheep, and are often known to kill and eat smaller alligators. Larger male alligators have been known to take down Florida panther and bears, making the American alligator the apex predator throughout its distribution.

The stomachs of alligators often contain gastroliths. The function of these stones is to grind up food in the stomach and help with digestion. This is important because gators swallow their food whole. These gastroliths are also used in buoyancy control.

Despite the extensiveness of their shared habitat with humans, alligator attacks on humans are comparatively rare. Most alligators fear humans due to hunting; attacks on humans are typically a result of feeding of alligators. Once a human feeds an alligator, it expects food whenever it sees someone.

In 2002, the bite force was measured on a 12 foot alligator and the result was about 2100 pounds of force.

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[pinkmints]

sorry to say, but that was a kamen, not an alligator...

[Legend813a]

Don't think so.

[2550505]

@Legend813a

LOl. mississippiensis

[holybongofjesus]

that was a baby gator, i live in northwest florida there is shitpiles of gators everywhere, you cant own an underground pool where im at, cuz gators will get in there, but they wont stay long, theyll leave when they realize it has no fish

[Saraceno2751]

Oh my GOD !!! hey is that you ?

I know this gal

I dated her on @ DateHerSafe[^]com/profile?=537­1

[arose4955]

boring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pinkmints]

Kamen, BTW, that was 6 months ago!!

[buellio]

completely wrong! it's an alligator!!

[loooocas]

I think your right.

[EASTWOODO4]

no dip chit it was a gator,this is something i see day in day out a little gator in a road side ditch no big deal.dont molest it, just

be glad you were blessed to encounter it and move on we also have crocadiles down south

if u see one of those you are realy blessed

because they are realy reclusive iv lived in florida for 34 years and never seen one