Crocodiles and Alligators

While there is a remnant population of American crocodiles in Florida they mostly live in Central and South America. Other crocodiles in the Americas include the Orinoco crocodile in the northern regions of South America, as well as the Cuban crocodile which now resides solely in certain parts of Cuba although they once existed throughout the Caribbean.

There are some key differences between crocodiles and alligators. An alligator has a wider snout than a crocodile and it's lower teeth do not protrude as a crocodiles do when their mouth is closed. Also, alligators and crocodiles are different in color; while alligators are black, crocodiles are a brown or green color.

The American alligator is native to North America. Their habitat ranges from North Carolina to the southern tip of Florida and west into Texas. They live in freshwater ponds, rivers and swamps although they have been known to venture outside those areas. The American alligator has been around since dinosaurs walked the earth. Nearly hunted into extinction for their leather-like hide in the 1800s, alligators are now an endangered species.

Alligators play an important role in the life of the wetlands. They are very helpful in population control as they eat everything from fish and rodents to deer and bear. The size of an alligator will, of course, depend on what it eats. As an alligator grows it will hunt larger prey.

Alligators also create what are known as gator holes. These holes range in size depending upon the size of the alligator and how much space is desired. These holes are often made with a hidden chamber under a bank. The alligator creates these gator holes in order to survive droughts as well as the dry and winter seasons. They also help other creatures such as fish, insects, turtles and birds to survive those same seasons.

As more of their natural habitat is being developed alligators are venturing more often into urban areas. This causes them to become an annoyance. It is against the law to feed alligators. Feeding alligators causes them to lose their fear of humans, thus becoming a more dangerous threat.