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American Alligator 20D0048570

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Description

American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)

The American Alligator is one of the two living species of Alligator, a genus within the Family Alligatoridae. The American Alligator is native only to the southeastern United States, where it inhabits wetlands that frequently overlap with human-populated areas. It is larger than the other extant alligator species, the Chinese Alligator.

The American Alligator has a large, slightly rounded body, with thick limbs, a broad head, and a very powerful tail. Adult male alligators are typically 13 to 14.7 feet long (3.96 to 4.48 meters), while adult females average 9.8 feet (2.99 meters). Male alligators may grow to 454.5 kg (1000 lb). The tail, which accounts for half of the alligator's total length, is primarily used for aquatic propulsion. The tail can also be used as a weapon of defense when an alligator feels threatened. Alligators travel very quickly in water, are generally slow-moving on land and can lunge short distances very quickly. They have five toes in front and four in back.

Alligators are presently found in the southeastern United States, from Merchants Millpond State Park in North Carolina to Texas and south to southeastern Oklahoma. Alligators live in wetlands, and it is this vital habitat that holds the key to their continued long-term survival. Alligators depend on the wetlands, and in some ways the wetlands depend on them. As predators at the top of the food chain, they help control the population of rodents and other animals that might overtax the marshland vegetation.

In South Florida, alligators face ambient temperature patterns unlike elsewhere in their range. The consistently high temperatures lead to increased metabolic cost. Alligators in the Everglades have reduced length to weight ratio, reduced total length, and delayed onset of sexual maturity compared with other parts of their range. The reason for this poor condition is currently suspected to be a combination of low food availability and sustained high temperatures. Additionally, the Everglades National Park has confirmed in 2003 that there is a significant population of Burmese pythons in South Florida. These non-native snakes have sometimes won and sometimes lost in battles with alligators, but the introduction of a potential predator could have a devastating impact on endangered species.

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Image size
3939x3030px 7.2 MB
Make
Canon
Model
Canon EOS 20D
Shutter Speed
1/500 second
Aperture
F/11.0
Focal Length
149 mm
ISO Speed
200
Date Taken
Apr 9, 2008, 10:51:54 AM
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Comments8
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Calander's avatar
Shit! Sorry for swearing but that is awesome!