AlligatorAlligatorDARYN WHITE

There are five different groups of animals with vertebrates.

Mammals

Fish

Reptiles

Birds

Amphibians

Alligators have certain characteristics that make then a reptile.

Here are some of the attributes.Reptiles are cold-blooded.They have dry, rough scaly skin .They lay their eggs under dry ground .Reptiles breathe through lungs.

An Alligator's AppearanceLike many animals, alligators have two

eyelids to protect each eye. They put just their eyes and nose out of

the water to watch their prey. Alligators have lungs and can’t breathe

underwater, but they can stay underwater for an hour or more.

Its wide snout is rounded. Most crocodiles can live in salty water,

but Alligators live in fresh water.

What Alligators Look Like• Baby alligators are

about 8 to 9 inches long.

• Baby alligators have yellow bands on their bodies until they are 3 or 4 years old.

Adult alligators are black.

Adult males range can be 7 to 10 feet long.

• Females are shorter.

Adaptations•Alligators have four legs. •They swim very well by using their tails to propel themselves through the water.•Their webbed feet help them swim better too.

•Alligators walk in a flat-footed manner. •On land, they can run fast, but only in short bursts.

An Alligator’s Head•An alligator’s eyes, ears, and nose are on the top of the head. •The alligator is able to see, hear, and breathe while they are still under water.

• The Alligator can open its jaws underwater without getting water in its lungs.

Alligator Behaviors Female alligators lay about 20 to 60

eggs at a time. The mother covers the nest for about three months to protect the eggs from predators. When the eggs are ready to hatch, the mother opens the nest and helps the young baby alligators out of their shells.

An Alligator's HabitatAn Alligator’s habitat can be a wetland, a

lake, a river, or a swamp. They live most of the time in the water. Their tail is half the animal’s length. Alligators talk to each other with their bodies. Sometimes he slaps the water with his head to tell other alligators to stay away.

Alligator's DietAlligators eat fish, birds, turtles, reptiles, and

mammals. It eats anything from insects to buffalo. Its mouth has 80 sharp teeth. Forty teeth are on the top and forty are on the bottom.

A Diagram of an Alligator

I hope you learned a lot. Remember to visit the Alligator exhibit whenever you go to the zoo.

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/Alligator.shtml

AlligatorAlligator by DARYN WHITE