Friday, June 6, 2014

10 Fun Facts About Alligators

Original source : http://anvor.info
Posted : 2014
Author :the admin

An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. In addition, several extinct species of alligator are known from fossil remains. Alligators first appeared during the Oligocene epoch about 37 million years ago. The name alligator is an anglicized form of el lagarto, the Spanish term for “the lizard”, which early Spanish explorers and settlers in Florida called the alligator.
Do you know…?

Fact 1
Alligators are seen as two different species – one is American and the other Chinese.

Fact 2
An alligator can weigh over 1,000 lbs and males grow to an average of 13 feet length while females reach about 10 feet.

Fact 3
They have two sets of eyelids and nearly 74 – 80 teeth at any time. They cannot move their tongue and need to lift their heads in order to swallow.

Fact 4
When a light shines on them at night, the eyes of large animals glow red while the eyes of the small ones glow green.

Fact 5
An alligator’s bite is powerful as they have relatively strong jaw muscles but the muscles for opening the mouth are weak. Any human can use their bare hands or duck tape to hold their jaws shut.

Fact 6
Alligators eat birds, fish, turtles, snails, crustaceans, deer and various mammals.

Fact 7
In warm temperatures the eggs produce males and in cool temperatures they produce females. Eggs are broken with their egg tooth which lies at the tips of their jaw.

Fact 8
They live from 35 to 50 years and longer when held in captivity.

Fact 9
Alligators are capable of moving fast at short bursts or lunges that exceed 20 mph

Fact 10
The skin of an alligator is tough and bony plates called ‘scutes,’ protect their armored backs, which make them immune to snake poison.

~Blog Admin~

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