American Alligator

Description

It has a large, wide head with a rounded snout. The legs are strong and thick with webbed feet, with 4 toes on the front and 5 on the back. The adults have a uniform colour, with different tones of grey to black, with dark stripes on the tail. The young have bright yellow bands that disappear with age. 

Ethology

They are solitary. The males mark and defend their territories, exposing their whole bodies on the surface. They mate under the water and the females will lay 20-50 eggs in a nest covered with vegetation. The eggs hatch after 60-65 days. During the first months, the mother protects the hatchlings which feed on worms and insects. During the winter, they remain immobile and fast until spring arrives. They can live 30-35 years in the wild. 

Interesting facts

They have been chased and hunted for years because their skins are highly prized in the leather industry for making handbags, boots, wallets and belts. Thanks to the creation of farms and regulations put in place to restrict hunting and trading of their skins, this massacre was halted and it is now no longer in danger of extinction.