Mississippi Alligator

Native to northern America, from Florida to Texas and North Carolina.

It is the largest reptile in the United States. The most characteristic differences between alligators and crocodiles is their rounded and wide snout versus the crocodile’s which is narrow and pointed; another feature that differentiates them is the bite, as the upper jaw is larger than the lower jaw; when an alligator closes its mouth, its teeth are not visible but the crocodile’s are.

It is a social species that lives in small groups. Hatchlings are more social than adults and usually stay together to defend themselves against predators. They dig holes in the ground with their snout and tail to use as a protective barrier in times of extremely cold or hot temperatures or irregular weather patterns, such as droughts and tropical storms.

They breed once a year and the male breeds with a different female each season. After fertilization, the female lays 39 eggs in a nest built a few meters from the shore with leaves and mud. During 60 days of incubation, the female will remain close to the nest to avoid predator attacks and after hatching they remain with the mother for 1 year. Temperature determines the sex of the alligator: females are formed when the incubation temperature is 31ºC or less and a male is formed when the incubation temperature is 33ºC or more, at 32ºC there is an even ratio of male to female offspring.