American Alligator

American Alligator

The American Alligator is a very scary animal. It is feared by both animals and people. Like all animals, it needs a specific habitat to survive in. The American Alligator can move quickly on both land and in the water to capture its food. If you have seen an American Alligator it looks something like a large lizard but bigger and with really sharp teeth. It is found in swamps and rivers in the south eastern states like Florida, Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, and Alabama. Currently, the American Alligator is no longer and endangered species in the world. This is because conservationists have worked to protect the Alligator from extinction. If you keep reading you will find out more about the American Alligator.

The American Alligator looks like a large lizard with a broad snout and all of the teeth in the upper jaw overlap with the teeth in the lower jaw. They are the largest members of the crocodile family. They have a large rounded body with thick limbs, abroad head, and a strong tail. The American Alligator has scaly skin, they are black and green in color and they blend in easily with the dirt and mud that they like to lay in. The adult alligators are usually from 13 feet to 18 feet long, with their tail being the biggest part of their body. The adult alligators weigh about 450 to 500 lbs.

The American Alligator likes to eat almost anything they can get their teeth on. The young alligators eat insects, shrimp, tadpoles, and frogs. As they grow they need more food and eat small fish, and snakes. When they are full grown they eat mostly fish, but enjoy muskrats and raccoons, and birds and turtles if they are available. They hunt most of their prey in the water and usually swallow them whole. If something is too big they catch it and drowned it and then tear it into pieces to swallow whole.

The American Alligator lives in warm climates in the southern states. They live in rivers, swamps and muddy areas where they can dig themselves into the mud. They like to live in areas where the water levels rise and fall because they want to be near water so that they can stay warm on cool days and cool on hot days. Their habitat is solitary as they tend to stay alone rather than in groups.

The American Alligator likes to dig in the mud to stay covered by water most of the time. They do come out to lay in the sun to warm up when they are cold.