25 Alligator Facts For Kids

1. The American alligator is a large crocodilian reptile that is a member of the Alligator genus in the Alligatoridae family.
2. The binomial name (species name) for the American alligator is Alligator mississippiensis.
3. The American alligator is one of two living species in the Alligator genus, the other is the Chinese alligator (A. sinensis).
4. The common name for the American alligator is simply alligator or gator.
5. The alligator’s habitat range extends throughout the southeastern United States.
6. The alligator’s preferred habitat is swamps, lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams located in subtropical and tropical climates.
7. There are an estimated five million alligators living in the southeastern United States, with most found in Florida and Louisiana.
8. Alligators are carnivores and are considered an apex predator.
9. The average diet of an alligator consists of mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and amphibians.
10. Alligators are ambush predators who catch their prey by waiting for them to come close before striking.
11. The average male alligator reaches a length of 11 feet and 2 inches.
12. The average male alligator reaches a weight of 790 pounds.
13. The average female alligator reaches a length of 8 feet and 6 inches.
14. The average female alligator reaches a weight of 201 pounds.
15. The largest adult alligator ever caught on record had a length of 19 feet and 2 inches and weighed around 2,220 pounds.
16. The average adult alligator has a lifespan of about 50 years in the wild.
17. The average adult alligator can swim up to 20 miles per hour.
18. The average adult alligator on land can run up to 11 miles per hour.
19. The average adult alligator has between 74 and 80 teeth.
20. The average adult alligator has a strong enough jaw to crack the shell of a large turtle.
21. In a laboratory setting, the bite force of an adult American alligator was measured at 2,961 pounds of force.
22. Female alligators will lay between 20 and 50 eggs after mating with a male alligator during breeding season.
23. Female alligators build nests made from various vegetation and mud.
24. Juvenile alligators grow at a rate of 3 to 8 inches a year and are considered an adult size when they reach 6 feet.
25. Alligators replace their teeth through their life, with an average of 3,000 teeth in a single lifetime.

Alligator Pictures

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the below images will be helpful for your research on alligators. Below are six pictures of alligators in various environments. These pictures should help you better understand the American alligator.

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