Gator Adventure Production

F.A.Q.

GENERAL FACTS ABOUT ALLIGATORS

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 GATOR QUIZ ANSWERS

John Quincy Adams the 6th president of the United States had a pet alligator.

The states that the American Alligator is found is Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, South Carolina, North Carolina and extinct from Virginia

American Alligator scientific name: Alligator mississippiensis

Range: Eastern North and South Carolina, central and south Georgia, Florida, central and southern Alabama and Mississippi, southwestern Arkansas, Louisiana and southeastern Oklahoma and Texas

Habitat: swamps, overgrown ponds, lakes, bayous and rivers

Diet: insects, clams, snails, crustaceans, frogs, salamanders, snakes, waterfowl, small mammals and smaller members of their own species

Mating season is early May - late June

Females lay 25 - 60 hard-shelled eggs which incubate for about 65 days

Hatchlings measure around 8 in. (20 cm)

Alligators grow 6 - 12 in (15 - 30 cm) a year for the first 6 - 10 years of life

Maximum size of adult males is around 15 ft (5 m)  World record is 19 ft 2 inches found in Louisiana.

Alligators live over 60 years

Gators have around 80 teeth. They loose and regrow these teeth throughout their lives.

Alligator Quick Facts:
-Can live up to 70 years
-Breathe through their nostrils for efficiency. Hold their breath when submerging underwater
-Diet consists of fish, turtles, and any kind of meat
-Approx 6 inches when first born. Record length 19 feet, 2 inches
-Can be found out of the water for days at a time in places like the Everglades

Alligator Work Day with Gator Adventure Productions
Our Gators work approx 10-20 days a year
They get breaks just like people
They get a "paycheck" (food reward) at the end of every shift
You can see our gators on display at the I Drive Alligator Park  6586 International Drive in Orlando
Many species of Crocodiles are endangered. We donate to Conservation efforts. Our Gators work for Conservation just like us!

Q. What is the difference between alligators and crocodiles?

A. -The most noticeable difference between alligators and crocodiles is the shape of their snout.  Alligators have a wide, rounded, u-shaped snout, while crocodiles have a narrower, pointed, v-shaped snout. Although this is a general answer some crocodiles like the male salt water crocodile found in Australia and Asia can have a broad snout for eat large food items. 

-Other differences are alligators are freshwater animals and crocodiles are saltwater animals.  Each species can go into fresh or salt water, but alligators can not drink salt water and survive.  It is not uncommon for alligators to go to salt water to feed or sometimes get swept out by currents.

-The fourth tooth on the bottom jaw of a crocodile fits into a notch and exposes the tooth, where the alligator does not have this feature. 

-Skin color, shape of the head and nesting is based on where the species of alligator and crocodile have evolved.  Alligators are usually dark in color to blend in with the black waters of the Southern United States. 

Q. How fast can an alligator run on land?

A. The maximum speed that an alligator can run on land is roughly 10 mph.  This is a healthy alligator that is between 3 to 9 feet long.  You see alligators typically do not run with the exception of escape.