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n Moves on land by lifting its body and walking
or running on its toes.
n Swims very fast and is capable of lunging on
land.
n Can stay below water for more than 2 hours
during winter.
n Rips and swallows its food but cannot chew.
n Has jaws strong enough to crush the shell of
a turtle.
All alligators, wherever
you may encounter them,
are potentially dangerous
and you should avoid them.
n As a male, can weigh more than 1,000
pounds and grow as long as 19 feet.
n Lives for 30 to 35 years in the wild; can live
for more than 50 years in captivity.
n Is darkly colored, with a broad snout and
large ridges on its back and tail called scutes
(pronounced scoots).
n Basks in the sun to warm its scaly body.
n Is a cold-blooded animal (ectotherm) like
snakes, lizards and turtles, and may not eat for
months when temperatures are below 73˚ F.
n Stalks and drowns or crushes its prey quickly
and silently.
n Eats just about anything — fish, birds, turtles,
crabs, raccoons, dogs, cats, snakes, dead
animals and even other alligators.
n Derives its name from the Spanish word for
lizard, el lagarto.
n Is a species of special concern in Florida;
listed federally as threatened due to its similarity
in appearance to the American crocodile.
n Creates ‘gator holes that support fish and
other wildlife during the dry season.
n Is a powerful reptile descended from dinosaurs
that lived more than 200 million years ago.
(Alligator mississippiensis)
© 2010, L. Lagarto
Illustrations by
Dave Anderson
n Unlike most female reptiles, guards her nest
until her 20 to 50 eggs hatch, and protects her
young fiercely.
n Constructs a nest of sticks, leaves and mud
to incubate her eggs for about 65 days. The
temperature of the nest determines the gender
of the babies. Lower temperatures produce
females; higher temperatures yield males.
n Becomes sexually mature at 6 feet in length.
Males travel far, in water or on land, to find a
mate.
n Has 4 short legs, with 5 toes on its front feet
and 4 webbed toes on its hind feet that assist
with swimming.
n Lives in fresh and brackish water, including
golf course water hazards, canals, lakes,
marshes, swamps, rivers, creeks, and ponds.
The American alligator
– Approach
– Feed
– Harass
Caimánes viven en lagos, canales, rios, pantanos, campos de golf
y en otros sitios con agua fresca o ligeramente salada
Alligators live in fresh and brackish water — golf course water hazards, canals, lakes, marshes
swamps, rivers, creeks, and ponds — all of which are prevalent in the State of Florida
DO NOT:
CAUTION
$500
FINE
3
4
AMAZING
19 feet
23 feet
27 feet
31 feet
250 pounds
500 pounds
750 pounds
1,000 pounds
ALLIGATOR
Caimánes masculinos puenden pesar más de ______ libras y pueden crecer más de ______ pies
Male alligators can weigh more than __________ pounds and grow as long as ________ feet
Answers on page 2
15 feet
100 pounds
How big can he get?
THE
Una mamá protégé su hábitat y sus crías
Female alligators protect their nests and young
5
6
Caimánes no saben la diferencia entre comida y la mano que ofrece esa comida
Alligators can’t tell the difference between food and the hand that offers it
Caimánes no tienen miedo a las personas quienes les dan comida
Hand-fed alligators lose their fear of humans
$500 fi
n
and /or e
60 day
s
in jail
DO
NOT
F E E D!
7
8
As Masters of the Marsh, alligators maintain a balance among species.
They find plenty of food in their habitat and don’t need humans to feed them.
Como dueños del pantano, caimánes mantienen un equilibrio sober especies. Ellos
encuentran comida en sus hábitates y no necesitan que seres humanos les den comida.
9
10
Muchos animales usan hoyos donde viven caimánes cuando hay sequías
Many animals use ‘gator holes during the dry season
No te acercas a los caimánes o a los lugares donde ellos viven
Avoid approaching alligators or crouching near fresh/brackish water
11
12
90
89
88
86
2
85
3
84
4
10
80
81
6
5
8
12
14
13
7
78
11
9
79
25
23
16
26
24
15
18
17
77
27
22
19
29
21
28
76
31
30
32
20
39
33
38
41
43
45
35
48
37
36
46
40 42
44
34
75
47
49
50
55
51
54
52
56
Children should never play near or in brackish/fresh water
82
59
53
74
58
61
60
57
62
63
64
69
73
67
68
65
66
72
Niños nunca deben de jugar en agua fresca o ligeramente salada. No deben de jugar cerca de estos sitios tampoco.
1
87
83
70
71
No dejas que tu perro o animal doméstico se acerca a agua fresca o ligeramente salada
Pets should be leashed and kept away from fresh/brackish water
13
14
Swim only in designated areas
Puedes nadar solamente en zonas que han sido declaradas para natación
Sw i mm i ng
Area
Vegetación tupida a lo largo de agua fresca o ligeramente salada puede impedie a los caimánes de entrar a tú patio
Dense vegetation along fresh/brackish water discourages alligators from entering your yard
15
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