To Know More About Alligators Eating Habits

Alligators and their cousins, crocodiles, have successfully adapted to the changing ecological conditions. They have remained almost unchanged since the time they arrived on this earth, about 200 million years. The name alligator is derived from the Spanish name 'el lagarto' which means 'lizard'. American alligator and the Chinese alligator are the only two living alligator species on the earth. When dinosaurs wandered freely on this earth, alligators were also present. So, many times alligators are referred to as 'living fossils'. Here is the required information regarding what do alligators eat in the wild.

What Do Alligators Eat

Interesting facts about American alligator inform us that in the zoos, alligators may live up to 75 years but in the wild, their average lifespan is about 50 years. Large alligators prefer to live alone while smaller ones live in large numbers close to each other. This cold blooded animal is known for its bone crushing bites. They have around 75 teeth! Alligators are about 13-17 feet long and may weigh around 350-450 kg. Obviously, they have a large appetite. Let us see what do alligators like to eat.

American alligators are found in freshwater environment. Ponds, marshes, bogs, wetlands, rivers, lakes, swamps and brackish lagoons are their favorite dwelling places. Young alligators enjoy eating small fish, insects, tadpoles, frogs and snails. They like to eat crustaceans and worms also. They gradually learn to catch larger preys. As they grow, they start eating larger fish such as gar, turtles, various mammals, birds, deer, snakes and other reptiles. They often swallow stones which help them dive deep into the water. Large alligators like to eat small animals which they can kill easily. Their powerful jaws help them eat smaller animals with a single bite. They may even ingest a dead animal if they don't get anything else to eat. Large alligators can eat smaller alligators also. Razorbacks and deer are their favorite food. In Florida, there were cases of alligators eating watch dogs, panthers and black bears.

How Often Do Alligators Eat

Alligators wander in search of prey at dusk or at night. They lay motionless for hours, catch the prey instantly with startling speed and swallow the whole prey. Actually, they are not hunters, they are lurkers. The skin sensors help them detect anything entering into the water. They keep only eyes and nostrils above the waterline. It seems that they select their prey by size. They can crush the shells of turtles or bones of animals very easily. They have very strong tails which help them propel up to 5 feet out of water. They can thus catch small animals from low-hanging tree branches. When they catch a larger prey, they hold it tightly in their powerful jaws and drag it into the water to drown. They may hide the remaining food (if they cannot finish it in one bite) and allow it to rot. They may eat it by spinning it fiercely until bite-size chunks are torn off. This is known as 'death roll'.

Alligators don't have to eat very often. They are cold blooded animals and eating once in a week is sufficient for them. Excess calories are stored in the form of fat under the tail. You might be perhaps surprised to know that an alligator can thrive without eating anything for two years! It is really very sad that only a few dozens of Chinese alligators are left in the wild, now. Chinese alligator is included in the list of extremely endangered species. Since human beings are encroaching onto alligators natural habitat, contact between people and alligators has significantly increased during last few years. An alligator attacks only when it feels that its life is in danger. Unlike the large crocodiles, it does not consider human beings as its enemies. Being timid, it walks or swims away at the site of human beings but it may attack in self-defense if provoked.

I hope you find the above information regarding 'what do alligators eat' helpful. In some areas, people kill alligators for meat and skin. Their skin is used to make bags and shoes. In fact, it is our duty to save 'alligator habitat' and 'alligators'. I hope those who are interested in reading alligators facts, help to create awareness about their protection.