Alligator

All About Alligator

An alligator will never rage against a subject that is several times its size – it will prefer a modest hunt.

Despite their countless numbers in the reservoirs of Florida, alligators very rarely attack people – they are simply afraid of them, and in general, they are more selective about their prey than crocodiles.
An alligator is a crocodile that forms a separate family and genus. Nowadays, there are 2 types of these reptiles.

One of them lives in North America, and the other in China. The first species is called the American alligator, and the second, respectively, is the Chinese alligator. The American lives in Florida, as well as North and South Carolina. It is also found in the coastal zone of the Gulf of Mexico (Louisiana).

These lands are adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean and represent one of the most civilized corners of the planet. Therefore, the reptiles were resettled in national parks, where they feel completely safe.

As for China, the situation here is not so rosy. The reptile lives in the eastern part of the Yangtze River basin. Today, there are no more than 200 representatives of the species. They live in ponds and river wetlands. Once this species lived throughout Eastern China and Korea.

How is a crocodile different from an alligator?

The main difference by which you can immediately distinguish an alligator from a crocodile is the shape of the head. In a crocodile, it is longer and the muzzle is pointed. The alligator’s head is wider, shorter, and has a “blunt” muzzle.

The reptile’s lower 4th tooth is also not visible when the jaws are closed. Another important point is that the reptile can only live in freshwater, but the crocodile has special glands that filter salt, so it can also live in seawater.

There are also differences in diet. Crocodiles consume only fish and meat, while alligators also eat leaves and fruits, that is, they consume plant foods.