American+Alligator

media type="custom" key="3680689"


 * By Jessica S.**
 * [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rangemapx.gif|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rangemapx.gif]**

The American alligator looks greenish-brown with some yellow in it. Its eyes almost look like cat eyes. An average female is about 9.8 feet, while a male is about 13 to 14.7 feet. Once before, in the past on record, American Alligators have been 16 to 20 feet long! These alligators can grow very quickly, especialy during the first four years of life. They usually grow 1 foot per year in these four years of life, that's already 4 feet! American alligators are usually found in marshes, rivers, lakes, and sometimes, smaller bodies of water. The few habitats these animals live in are temperate, tropical, and fresh water habitats. Alligators don't only eat meat they also eat things such as aluminum cans or sticks. They usually eat fish, turtles, snakes and small animals. When they are young they eat snails, insects, and small fish. They hunt primaily at night. When they capture small prey they swallow it whole. Sometimes the alligator will wait for a thirsty animal to come drink at the waters edge and pull its head under water until it drowns. An American alligator has about 74 to 80 teeth in their mouth and can go through 2,000 to 3,000 teeth in a lifetime. Alligators may live to about 50 years in the wild. Due to extensive research, the American alligator is no longer endangered. Although, the American alligator is still listed as threatened on the U.S. Endangered Species list because it looks similar to the American Crocodile. Hunting them is allowed in some places but it is highly controlled. The biggest threat against American alligators is the loss of habitats. Because they will eat almost anything they set a mild threat on humans. In Florida there have been five deaths due to alligator attacks from 1973 to 1990. Sometimes people's pets such as dogs and cats are killed too. The alligator became the official reptile of Florida in 1987. Alligators are usually hunted for their skins and sometimes they are even hunted for their meat. The alligators in Florida are a main attraction for tourists. These tourists even get to feed them!