In our article, we would like to talk about one of the representatives of the crocodile family. The Mississippi alligator differs from other counterparts in a fairly wide and flat muzzle. The jaw of this crocodile is very wide, with powerful muscles, it is much stronger than the jaw of any other reptile.
Where does the Mississippi alligator live?
This variety of crocodiles is also called pike or American alligator. It lives in the southeastern region of the United States. At the moment, it can only be found south of Virginia, in the states of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, North Carolina and South, Georgia and Arkansas. The largest and most numerous population lives in the swamps of Florida.
Alligator Appearance
The Mississippi alligator differs from its counterparts in a wide, flat, but very long muzzle. An interesting fact is that captive crocodiles have a wider muzzle than wild representatives. This is primarily due to the peculiarities of nutrition.
The nostrils are located onat the very edge of the jaws, this allows the animal to breathe and at the same time remain invisible to others, since its entire body is immersed in water.
Adults living in the wild are divided into two types:
- Thin and long.
- Wide and short.
Such differences are associated with the nuances of nutrition, climate and other factors. The alligator's main weapon is its muscular tail.
The Mississippi alligator also has its own structural features. The integuments of the body are shields. Four of them are in the back of the head. And in the middle part of the body there are dorsal shields. The skin on the sides has bone plates. But the abdominal bone shell is completely absent.
Mississippi alligator, the structure of the limbs of which is distinguished by its own characteristics, with a sufficiently large body size, has short paws. There are five fingers on the front and four on the back. There is even a swimming membrane on the front paws.
The Mississippi alligator, whose teeth have a special structure, boasts a large number of them. As a rule, their number ranges from seventy-four to eighty pieces.
Juveniles do not differ in appearance from adults, except for bright yellow stripes on a black background, which help to perfectly camouflage.
The difference between a crocodile and an alligator
It is a mistake to think that there is no difference between them. The difference between a crocodile and an alligator is that the former is larger than the latter. In addition, the crocodile has a long andelongated muzzle, but the alligator's snout is flattened and blunt.
Other differences:
- There are currently two types of alligators in the world, and thirteen types of crocodiles.
- As for alligators, they live only in America and China. Crocodiles are found in Asia, Africa, Australia and America.
- An interesting fact is that crocodiles can live in s alt water, they are adapted to such conditions. But alligators live only in fresh water.
Alligator skin color
The Mississippi alligator has a dark green back and a light yellow belly. Juveniles have an almost black color on the back with yellow spots on the tail. In adult animals, these inclusions darken.
It should be noted that eastern and western alligators have been historically isolated from each other. So, the eastern ones have white rims around their mouths, and their color is lighter. In adults, bright yellow spots, fading, become olive, brown or black, although otherwise the color does not change. The American alligator usually has green eyes, but sometimes they can be of other colors.
Weight and dimensions of the animal
The big crocodile reaches four and a half meters, and sometimes there are animals and five meters in length. The maximum value recorded by people is 5.8 m. Females, as a rule, have a length of three meters.
Animals weighfrom two hundred to three hundred kilograms. It is said that the last alligators weighing half a ton were killed in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, although these facts have not been confirmed.
How long do alligators live?
As far as life expectancy is concerned, the Mississippi alligator has been recorded to have lived in captivity for sixty-six years. And other data speaks of a life expectancy of eighty-five years.
What sounds do alligators make?
It may be erroneous to think that the American alligator is a silent creature. But that's not the case at all. Moreover, it is a very loud and scary animal. Cubs make awkward croaking sounds. But adults in the mating season emit a very loud roar. It is said that these sounds can be compared with distant thunder or with explosions when they drown out fish. Imagine that if several males make sounds together, then the whole swamp shakes and pulsates from this.
Habitat
The Mississippi alligator is found in a wide variety of freshwater bodies of water. They prefer places with slow flowing streams of water. It can be freshwater lakes, swamps, rivers, ponds among peat bogs. Here are the reservoirs where the water is s alty, the alligator does not like it. It can, of course, be in s alt water for some time, such as in the mangrove swamps of South Florida. Interestingly, quite often a large crocodile is found near human habitation.
Females usually live within a lake or swamp. Males, on the other hand, occupy larger territories, more than two square miles.
Enemiesfearsome animals
It may seem unrealistic, but the alligator (pictured in the article) also has enemies. It would seem, who can threaten such a predator?
It turns out that lynxes, raccoons, large wading birds are dangerous for young and newborn animals. Large males sometimes engage in cannibalism, which, in principle, is uncharacteristic for them. By the age of two, they grow up to 90 centimeters in length. And from that moment on, they no longer have enemies. Unless, of course, you count the person.
Alligator food
As you understand, the alligator (photos of the animal are impressive) is a predator. The main food for him is fish. But at any opportunity, he can attack some animal.
Young individuals feed on crustaceans and insects, frogs and small fish. As they grow older, their diet becomes more varied. Adult amphibians feed on any terrestrial and aquatic life that they come across: snakes, turtles, birds, small mammals.
In regions where alligators are close to humans, if they are hungry, dogs and pets can become their prey.
The alligator is not dangerous for humans. But sometimes he can attack if he is somehow provoked or if he confuses a child with a small animal. Sometimes the animal devastates the fishermen's nets, and in case of severe hunger, it does not neglect carrion.
Predator habits
It must be said that the hunting habits of the alligatordepend on the temperature of the water: if it drops below twenty-three degrees, then the animal's appetite and activity sharply decrease.
On land, alligators often rest with their mouths open, this is due to the process of thermoregulation. Water evaporates faster through mucous membranes.
Adults most often hunt in the water. They grab small prey and swallow it whole, but they first drown large prey, and then tear it to pieces. In general, these reptiles have serious patience, they expose only their nostrils and eyes from the water. And in this position they watch their prey for hours. As a rule, in a drowned position, the alligator moves carefully, imperceptibly throughout the reservoir and looks out for the victim.
These reptiles have the strongest bite among predators. This conclusion was reached by researchers who conducted experiments with a special measuring device. Alligators use such a strong mouth to crack open turtle shells.
It is interesting that when immersed in water, the nostrils of the animal are closed by the edges of the skin, the ear openings too, even the blood circulation of the organs is suspended, only the brain and heart muscle work.
Staying in the water for the first twenty minutes, the alligator consumes half of its oxygen supply, and consumes the rest more sparingly for a hundred minutes.
In cool regions, these reptiles become inactive during the winter. The alligator digs its own lair or hole under the shore and lives there for up to four months. At the same time, he moves little and eats little. There are times when alligators freeze in their hole, but if they have something to breathe, they can survive until the ice melts.
They say that alligators knock their prey off the shore with their tail, but there is no reliable confirmation of this fact. Female reptiles take great care of their offspring, they protect the cubs from enemies for a long time. As a rule, from their own adult relatives, who can attack young animals when they are hungry.
Instead of afterword
You need to remember that the alligator is a formidable predator. He easily hides under the mirror surface of the water. And the log, peacefully swaying among the algae on the surface, is not so harmless. It may well be a hidden predator that guards its prey. For a big hungry crocodile, even a horse can become food, although he prefers smaller prey. Alligators are such interesting creatures.
