Year after year we find that children and adults are always interested in learning more information about alligators when visiting Florida. Alligators can grow up to pounds and 13 feet long on average. Females do have a tendency to be smaller than males. According to the Everglades National Park, the largest alligator ever recorded measured 17 feet, 5 inches.
They eat primarily fish, birds, turtles, various mammals, and other reptiles. If the alligator is big enough it will eat larger prey such as deer, bear, razorbacks, or other alligators.
If the gator has caught something too large to consume in one bite it typically drowns it by violently spinning it in the water. It will then store it for a couple days to allow decomposition and easier consumption afterward. Alligators live an average of years in the wild. They have been known to live years in human care.
Mating season is mid-April through May and alligators have a heightened aggression during this time. The female will build a nest in the vegetation in or around the water and lay a clutch of eggs. Incubation is days and hatchlings will stay with the mother for up to 2 years. Female alligators are fiercely protective of the nest and hatchlings and are especially dangerous. The temperature in the nest determines sex of the offspring. Temperatures above 93 degrees will produce males while temperatures of 86 degrees and below produce females.
The senses of all crocodilians are quite powerful in comparison to other reptiles. They have an excellent sense of hearing and a well developed inner ear; mothers can actually hear hatchlings calling while still inside the eggs. They have extra sensory organs inside the snout for a heightened sense of smell and their vision above water can be compared to that of an owl.
They also have excellent night vision and are thought to be able to see color. Alligators have no vocal chords so the growl is a sound made when the gator sucks air into their lungs and blows it out to produce very loud, deep toned roars. For this reason, the feeding of wild alligators in Florida is illegal.
According to statute You will usually see signs posted near any bodies of fresh water reminding people not to feed the alligators. Let wild animals find their food naturally. Breakfast, lunch and dinner? Courtesy of Flickr user ingridtaylar.
A Mean Bite Once an alligator catches its prey, the chances of escape are slim. Total Everglades Combo. Mangrove Airboat Tour. Private Airboat Tour. From June 1st - 6th, you and your family can experience cool, kid-friendly related activities happening throughout the week while also enjoying some educational chats about alligators.
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Reservations can be made Monday through Saturday 8 a. Closed Sundays. Privacy Policy Cookie Policy. They are opportunistic hunters Alligators hunt species that are easily accessible and abundant in the wild. An alligator's sex is determined by the temperature of their nest during incubation A female Florida alligator lays between 35 and 90 eggs in late June to early July and covers them with a layer of vegetation to keep them warm. They are very different from crocodiles Geographically, alligators primarily live in the southeastern United States and eastern China, while crocodiles live in Africa, Australia, southeastern Asia, North America, South America, and Central America.
Run straight away from an alligator, not zigzag Most people say you can escape an alligator if you run in a zigzag pattern, but that's not really true. An alligator's bite is one of the strongest in the animal kingdom Imagine an alligator chomping down on its prey with its jaws. What's new at Wild Florida? Subscribe Here! Recent Posts.
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