American Alligator- SS

Background:

The American Alligator is the largest reptile in North America and has on average has a life span exceeding 60 years. They are cold-blooded animals, meaning that they are ectothermic and therefore unable to regulate their own body temperature and must rely on their surrounding environment. Being ectotherms they can survive on less food and it has been discovered that a 100lb dog will eat more in a year than a 800lb alligator.

Behavioural Adaptations:

During extreme cold weather, the alligators may dig a den which they use to burrow inside for warmth. They are dormant for most of the winter (in temperatures below 13 degrees) which is when they can be found in their burrows or dens. In very hot conditions they make ‘gator holes’ in the mud. These gator holes fill with water and become habitats for fish and watering holes for the birds and other animals, in order for the alligator to feed more easily. Also, on hot days the alligators will bask in the sun to warm themselves and can be seen basking with their mouths open, similar to a dog panting, as a cooling mechanism.

Anatomical Adaptations:

The alligators have scales made from Keratin which behave similarly to solar panels absorbing heat from the sun. This heat increases the rate of metabolic reactions and then radiated back into the body after the sun has gone down, allowing the alligators to maintain a higher metabolic rate and remain active rather than entering an ectothermic stupor, despite a drop in temperature.