American Alligators

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American Alligators

• Aura, Kevin and Christian

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Introduction

• Youll be shocked to learn that dinosaurs and
  alligators are close relatives! Alligators are
  the relatives of these reptiles that lived
  millions of years ago!

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• In our power point presentation, you will learn
  more about what the American alligator looks
  like, their habitat, what they like to eat, how
  they care for their hatchlings, and also some
  interesting and amazing facts about alligators.

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What They Look Like

• Its incredible that the American alligator looks
  like a log floating in the water! It also has
  small plates on its back. They even have gray
  skin. Alligators have up to 80 sharp teeth and
  strong jaws. Alligators are very heavy looking.

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• It has a strong tail. This helps it swim quickly
  through the water. Some alligators can grow to
  be as long as a car!

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Where They Live

• You may be surprised to learn that the American
  alligator lives only in the southern United
  States, from Texas to North Carolina. They are
  most common in Florida and Louisiana. Alligators
  live in fresh water swamps and rivers.

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What They Eat

• Would you believe that alligators spend a lot of
  time waiting for their food? Alligators wait for
  their prey to come close to them.
• Alligators have strong jaws with 80 sharp teeth.
  An alligator uses its strong jaws and teeth so it
  could catch its prey.

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What They Eat

• An alligator cannot swallow like a human, so it
  has to lift its head to let the food go down its
  throat. Its hard to believe that alligators eat
  many different animals that live in or come near
  the water. They eat fish, frogs, birds, snakes
  and crabs. Large alligators also eat pigs, deer
  and cattle.

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Amazing Parts of Their Body

• Its strong jaws could even break through bones
  and a turtles shell. But an alligator cannot
  chew its food. It has to swallow it or it has to
  tear it into pieces.

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Hatchlings

• Have you ever thought about an alligators
  babies? Alligator babies are called hatchlings.
  In May or June female alligators lay about 20 to
  40 eggs. Female alligators lay eggs and bury
  their eggs in nests made out of mud and plants.
  This keeps the eggs warm.

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What Baby Alligators Look Like

• After 9 or 10 weeks little black and yellow
  striped alligators begin to hatch. The mother
  hears the babies squeak when they hatch.

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• They are 6 to 8 inches long. The mother digs up
  the eggs and helps the babies out of the nest.
  The mother helps them get to the water. Baby
  alligators stay with their mother for about one
  year. Hatchlings can eat insects, shrimp,
  tadpoles and frogs.

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Alligators Were in Danger

• Let us tell you about alligators in danger. The
  American alligator was an endangered animal.
  Alligators were killed for their skins to make
  pocketbooks and shoes.

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Protecting Alligators

• Then, people started to think that alligators
  should not be killed. To protect them, many
  countries passed laws against hunting alligators.

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• These laws helped save the American alligator.
  The American alligator was taken off the
  Endangered Species List in 1987.

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We would like to thank our 5th Grade mentor
Joann