Alligator Facts for Kids
Reptiles like alligators, crocodiles, snakes or lizards play a major role in planet earth, yes it is planet earth not "our planet". Find some amazing facts about these beautiful creatures.
What is an alligator?
The alligators are reptiles like crocodiles and snakes.
Just like other reptiles, the alligator is a cold-blooded animal.
The alligators are sometimes described as ‘living fossils’ because they have been living on planet Earth for millions of years.
Like crocodiles and the gharial (a big snouted crocodile), alligators are part of the order "Crocodylia", they are crocodilians.
How big is an alligator?
An american alligator can weigh over 450 kg (1000 lb), that's more than a piano and be is 10 to 15 feet (3 to 5 meters) long.
The chinese alligator is much smaller, it grows to around 4.6 to 4.9 feet (1.4 to 1.5 m) long and usually weighing only around 50 lbs. (22.7 kg).
Where do alligators live?
There are 2 different species of alligator, the American alligator and the Chinese alligator.
The american alligator lives in the south-eastern areas of the United States such as Florida and Louisiana states. The american alligator once faced extinction, they were placed under protection and were brought back from the brink of extinction, nowadays over a million of these reptiles live in USA.
The chinese alligator can be found in the Yangtze River in China, but they are critically endangered and only few of them remain in the wild.
What do alligators eat?
Alligators are carnivores. The alligator eats a variety of different animals such as fish, birds, turtles, snakes and even deer.
Other fun facts about alligators:
Alligators have an "armored" body and a muscular flat tail, that they use for swimming. Their skin is so tough because of the hard bony plates called scutes.
Half of an alligator length is its massive, strong tail.
The alligator has a powerful bite but just like the crocodile the muscles that open their jaws are weaker. An adult is capable of holding the jaws of an alligator shut with nothing more than their bare hands.
Alligators become male or female depending on the temperature surrounding the eggs, female in cooler temperatures and male in warmer temperatures.
The american alligator is the most vocal of all crocodilians, and communication begins in early life, while they are still the in eggs.
Alligators live a long time, in the wild they live between 35 and 50 year, while those in captive live longer, around 65 to 80 years.
Crocodile facts for kids
Where do crocodiles live
Where do alligators live
Alligator and crocodile differences