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American Alligator

Alligator mississippiensis

Description:

Heavy and ungainly out of water, these reptiles are supremely well adapted swimmers. Males average 10 to 15 feet (3 to 4.6 meters) in length and can weigh 1,000 pounds (453 kg). Females grow to a maximum of about 9.8 feet (3 meters.)

Habitat:

This is an area where the rice fields are irrigated with levies. The alligators live in the grassy banks and marshy ponds, they eat the birds and fish that coexist there.

Notes:

This is a large female alligator that I photographed over a period of 6 weeks. She was grumpy because she was nearing the time to lay her eggs. All of the alligators stayed out of her end of the pond. Alligators are unpredictable and I do not recommend photographing them in the wild without extreme caution.

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2 Comments

Anna24
Anna24 12 years ago

That's terrifying!!! You're so brave! If I saw an alligator, I'd RUN. Great job.

SandraH
SandraH 12 years ago

brave shot :) she definitely looks a little bothered! :)

LisaRichlinDavis
Spotted by
LisaRichlinDavis

Port Arthur, Texas, USA

Spotted on May 26, 2011
Submitted on Sep 10, 2011

Spotted for Mission

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