Wednesday, January 09, 2008

A is for Alligator


American Alligator
Brazos Bend State Park
Needville, Texas

One of the best places to see an alligator in the wild is just a few miles from my house at Brazos Bend State Park. According to this article, it is home to 300 American alligators . With numbers like that, it's a guarantee you'll see at least one gator and most likely several as you walk the trail around Forty-Acre Lake.

Did You Know?....
  • The sex of the juveniles is determined by the temperature of the nest: above 93° F all are male, below 86° F all are female, and temperatures in between will produce both sexes.
  • American alligators can live to about 50 years in the wild. After it is four feet long, an alligator is safe from predators except humans and occasionally other alligators.
  • Alligators can tolerate salt water for only brief periods because they do not have salt glands.

That last fact makes me feel a little better about kayaking in the salt water marsh. Read more facts here.

Thanks to Vicki for hosting ABC-Along 2008. Sign-up details can be found here and here. Every two weeks I'll post a photo representing a letter of the alphabet.

See ya later, alligator! (I couldn't resist.)

7 comments:

  1. Those are some neat facts! But I'm just as happy that I live in a place too cold for alligators!

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  2. Thanks for the info. Never knew any of those facts. For me just the sight of that creature sends a little chill down my spine! Looking forward to the rest of the ABC along!!

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  3. A is for awesome alligator photo!

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  4. Mmmm. Not my favorite animal. I don't mind seeing them in a zoo, seeing them swimming in the wild not so appealing!

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  5. Great photo! But not my favorite animal either - too many teeth!

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  6. I would be terrified to kayak in waters that could have alligators. I am a total chicken about critters in the water. Here I only have to worry about beavers, and they usually slap their tale and swim away ;o)

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  7. I think your picture is about as closest as I care to get to one of those beasts. They are fascinating, though!

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Thank you for commenting!
~Tracy

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