Alligator | Description, Habitat, Size, Diet, & Facts (2024)

FAQs

Alligator | Description, Habitat, Size, Diet, & Facts? ›

Alligators are carnivorous and live along the edges of permanent bodies of water, such as lakes, swamps, and rivers. They commonly dig burrows in which they rest and avoid weather extremes. The average life span of alligators is about 50 years in the wild.

These reptiles are usually found in slow-moving freshwater rivers, but also inhabit swamps, marshes, and lakes. American alligators are carnivores. They eat fish, invertebrates, frogs, birds, and mammals. They use their sharp teeth to capture prey, and their strong jaws are powerful enough to crack a turtle's shell.

Female alligators usually remain in a small area. Males can occupy areas greater than two square miles. Both males and females extend their ranges during the breeding season. Young alligators remain in the area where they are hatched and where their mother protects them.

Alligators are opportunistic feeders. Their diets include prey species that are abundant and easily accessible. Juvenile alligators eat primarily insects, amphibians, small fish, and other invertebrates. Adult alligators eat rough fish, snakes, turtles, small mammals, and birds.

Alligators have a natural fear of humans, and usually begin a quick retreat when approached by people. If you have a close encounter with an alligator a few yards away, back away slowly. It is extremely rare for wild alligators to chase people, but they can run up to 35 miles per hour for short distances on land.

Fish, mollusks, birds, and small mammals are all prey for alligators, which are primarily carnivorous. Fruits are sometimes deliberately consumed by them. Scientists have discovered only two alligator species, both of which can be found in two different regions of the world.

Alligator jaw muscles have little strength for opening their mouth, but the muscles that shut them are very strong and have awesome force, about 300 pounds per square inch in an adult. Alligators do not require as much food as we do. In the summer a large alligator may only eat once or twice a week.

Alligators can survive two to three years without eating. Alligators are one of the few reptiles today that care for their young. Alligators have vibration sensors on their skin that are extremely sensitive -- they can detect even the slightest vibration and get out of harm's way long before it arrives.

Both Crocodiles and Alligators can climb trees and they've both been spotted perched on tree branches as high up as 30 feet. And they're so good at climbing that NASA had to start installing special Alligator proof chain link fences.

Feeding time - they feed them raw chicken. Alligators only eat 70 lbs of meat per year.

Where do alligators sleep? ›

They create a “gator hole” along the waterway that provides protection during extreme weather conditions. They essentially dig tunnels in the mud where they sleep, and when they come out of the gator hole, other animals come in and inhabit the area.

It is categorized as game meat, as it is naturally lean in fat and packed with protein. In terms of taste and saturated fat amount, gator meat shares properties with chicken as well as fish. Whether the meat is from the tail or another cut, the meat retains twice as much protein as a serving of beef of the same size.

The only weakness is a brain the size of a lima bean that limits thinking to eat, bite, fight, mate and start all over. After 8 feet the only real threat to an alligator is another alligator or man.

American alligators reportedly live about 30 to 50 years in the wild. But gators in captivity live longer. Most can live up to 70 years old.

Louisiana and Florida have the largest alligator populations—there are more than one million wild alligators in each state. Although alligators can be found in ponds, lakes, canals, rivers, swamps, and bayous in Louisiana, they are most common in our coastal marshes.

What are the natural predators of alligators? Baby alligators — other alligators, and any appropriately-sized predator (large snakes, large fish, large turtles, birds such as herons and hawks, mammals such as otters and bobcats). Adult alligators — other alligators, and humans. Not much can take on an adult alligator.

They live in brackish or saltwater areas, and can be found in ponds, coves, and creeks in mangrove swamps. They are occasionally being encountered inland in freshwater areas of the SE Florida coast as a result of the extensive canal system.