That's as many alligators as there are people in Miami and Tampa combined!
Possibly the best animal to convey our gallery theme of “Textures”, this is the American alligator. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission believe there to be ~1.3 million individuals in the state. That’s as many alligators as there are people that live in Miami and Tampa combined.
People often confuse alligators and crocodiles. If you see the creature in salt water, you can be sure its not an alligator. It is the crocodile that can go back and forth between fresh water and salt water. In this photo, I am standing on a boardwalk just above a freshwater swamp in Big Cypress National Preserve.
Interestingly, the temperature of an alligator’s nest will determine the sex of the alligator hatchlings. If the nest is “warm”, they tend to be males. If the nest is “cool” they tend to be females. Female alligators typically lay between 30-50 eggs, each slightly larger than a chicken egg.
How can you tell how big an alligator is in the dark? When alligators are in the water, sometimes the only thing that is above the waterline is the top of their head, including their eyes. If you shine a flashlight at an alligator’s eyes, they glow red. The farther apart the eyes are, the larger the alligator is.
The farther apart the eyes, the larger the alligator is
This unique overhead perspective gives us a great view of the textures along the alligator. It was midday when I took this photo, so the sun was directly above the alligator. This was a positive and a negative. On the positive side, it lit up the alligator’s skin, showing extreme detail. On the negative side, overhead sunlight means glares off the water. It took a few attempts, but I eventually lined up the sun where I wanted it, and took this photo.
Did You Know?
- Alligators can go through as many as 3000 teeth in their lifetime! Alligators regrow teeth when they break and fall out. They have ~75 teeth at any given time.
- There is a Chinese alligator, which is a close relative. It lives along the lower Yangtze River.
- Alligators are the loudest reptiles in the world! Males roar to ward off threats and attract mates.
- Alligator blood has antibiotic and antiviral properties.
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