ALLIGATORS

 

 Florida’s Alligators – Fearsome and Fascinating

 Although crocodilians – as alligators and crocodiles are called – inspire fear and fascination in us, few people know they are an important part of the ecology of Florida’s wetlands.  Two crocodilians are native to the United States, the American alligator and the American crocodile.  The range of the American alligator, found only in the southeastern part of the country, is restrained by cold temperatures and the distribution of wetlands.  The American crocodile is even more sensitive to cold and its range, which includes the southern tip of Florida, is tropical.

Alligators and crocodiles are protected by state and federal laws; the alligator is listed as threatened and the crocodile as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act.

 Crocodilians are relics of the great Age of Reptiles, and today only 21 crocodilian species remain, many of which are in danger of extinction from conflicts with man.  Of all the reptiles, crocodilians are the largest and have the most complex behavior, including elaborate courtship displays, nest-building behavior and social rituals.  Males move from pond to pond during breeding season to mate.  Alligator courtship begins as the weather warms in early spring and features a varied sequence of behaviors including bellowing, head slapping, snout touching and bubble blowing.  The bellowing of courting alligators is a familiar sound in the swamps in the spring.

 Female alligators construct elaborate nests of compacted vegetation. The eggs are incubated by the heat from rotting vegetation.  Twenty to 50 eggs incubate for about two months and the mother may stay nearby to ward off predators.  Shortly before hatching, baby alligators begin to emit a high-pitched barking sound.  The mother responds by opening the nest and sometimes helping her young to hatch by carefully cracking the eggshells in her mouth.  Young alligators may stay with their mothers for a few days to several months.

 Alligators eat anything they can catch:  fish, turtles, raccoons, birds, dead animals, and even other alligators.  Alligators have been known to injure or kill people or pets.  Most attacks occur in the water, suggesting victims are mistaken for prey.  The Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission receives thousands of nuisance complaints a year.  Many of these alligators must be killed because there are few places where they can be relocated. 

 As a very visible member of the wetland community, the alligator is a barometer of how well wetlands are faring.  Now that the alligator has been saved from extinction, many difficult decisions regarding water management and land development need to be made concerning their future and their habitat.

 Did you know…….??

·        The largest alligator ever recorded in Florida was 17 feet 5 inches long.

·        The sex of an alligator is determined by the temperature at which the egg is incubated.  Hatchlings from eggs incubated at or below 86 degrees are all female and at or above 93 degrees are all male.

·        Alligators contribute to the health of wetlands by maintaining ponds that serve as vital dry season refuges for aquatic life.

 This is mating season for alligators.  Enjoy the display in our community, take photos and try not to disturb them.  Meet some of our VGCC alligators on Critters Corner!

 Learn more about alligators by going to this site: www.myfwc.com.