Alligator

Alligators were once endangered, but now thriving
there is not a lot of demands for alligator products
avarage size for a male is 11.2 ft
Exceptionally large males can reach a weight of nearly half a ton of 1000 pounds
male and females have an "armored" body with a muscular flat tail
front legs have five toes and the back only have four
they have long snouts
young alligators can be distinguised from the adults by the bright yellow strips on their tails
adults have dark strips
the large fouth tooth in the lower jaw of the alligator fits into a socket in the upper jaw and is not visible when the mouth is closed
74-80 teeth in there mouths at a time
hey can go though 2000-3000 teeth i a lifetime
they dig themselves holloews in the mud, which is then filled with water
found in North Carolina to the Rio Grange in Texas
they can tolerate salt water for a short period of time
their srong jaws can crack a turtles shell
they eat fish, snails, birds, frogs, and other animals that come to the water edge
offical state reptile in Florida
they can live for 50 years in the while
5 deaths from alligators happened from 1973-1990

AlligatorHN