Being ectotherms, alligators do not need to eat much – a 100-lb dog will eat more in a year than an 800-lb alligator.Also, crocodiles occur only in tropical and subtropical areas (only south Florida in the United States), while alligators live in somewhat colder climates. However, alligators have rounded snouts, while most crocodile species have longer, pointed snouts. Alligators and crocodiles are related.There is only one other alligator species, the Chinese alligator.Alligators and their relatives are the last of the living reptiles that were closely related to dinosaurs, and their closest modern kin are birds.
On the Savannah River Site, alligators are abundant in the Savannah River, its swamp and tributaries, L-Lake, Par Pond and other reservoirs on the site. Although they are primarily freshwater animals, alligators will also venture into brackish salt water. Females and juveniles occasionally use seasonal wetlands, such as Carolina Bays. In South Carolina, alligators have been recorded to reach lengths of more than 13 feet.Īlligators live in swampy areas, rivers, streams, lakes and ponds.
Alligators are restricted to the Coastal Plain, which includes the Central Savannah River Area of Georgia and South Carolina. Range and habitat: Alligators occur on the Atlantic Coast of North America from Florida through coastal North Carolina, and along the Gulf Coast into Texas. Ecologically, alligators are important predators and create important habitat for other wildlife by digging holes that hold water during droughts. This is a cooling mechanism essentially equivalent to a dog panting. On hot summer days they can sometimes be seen basking with their mouths open. To warm themselves, alligators bask in the sun, which is when they are frequently observed on the banks of water bodies. Alligators are “cold-blooded,” meaning that they are ectothermic animals that cannot regulate their own body temperature, but assume the temperatures of their surrounding environment. The species is still federally listed as threatened because it looks like the American crocodile, which is endangered.Īlligators are long-lived animals whose life spans can exceed 60 years. Once a federally listed endangered species, American alligators have recovered and are common in many areas of the Southeast. American Alligator ( Alligator mississippiensis)ĭescription: American alligators ( Alligator mississippiensis) inhabit the southeastern United States.
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