American Alligators

The American Alligator is one of the largest reptiles in the world weighing from 450 to 500 pounds. The length of an adult varies from 13 to 18 feet. The tail is about half of the length. The alligator and the crocodile are very similar in appearance but there is a difference. The crocodile has a different jaw structure and habitat. The American alligator has a stockier build and broader head and facial features. They have large scales, prominent …

…The female will lay 25 to 60 eggs. After the laying, the female covers the eggs with a layer of vegetation. The sun helps them grow and they hatch within 9 weeks. In Florida, raccoons are a large egg predator. The alligators are ready to hatch in mid-August through mid-September. Eighty percent of the young become victims of birds, raccoons, bobcats, otters, snakes, and large bass and even other alligators within the first two years of their lives.