Alligator

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Alligator

• DARYN WHITE

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There are five different groups of animals with
vertebrates.

• Mammals
• Fish
• Reptiles
• Birds
• Amphibians

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Alligators have certain characteristics that make
then a reptile. Here are some of the
attributes.

• Reptiles are cold-blooded.
• They have dry, rough scaly skin .
• They lay their eggs under dry ground .
• Reptiles breathe through lungs.

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An Alligator's Appearance

• Like many animals, alligators have two eyelids to
  protect each eye.
• They put just their eyes and nose out of the
  water to watch their prey.
• Alligators have lungs and cant breathe
  underwater, but they can stay underwater for an
  hour or more.
• Its wide snout is rounded.
• Most crocodiles can live in salty water, but
  Alligators live in fresh water.

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What Alligators Look Like

• Baby alligators are about 8 to 9 inches long.
• Baby alligators have yellow bands on their bodies
  until they are 3 or 4 years old.

• Adult alligators are black.
• Adult males range can be 7 to 10 feet long.
• Females are shorter.

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Adaptations

• Alligators have four legs.
• They swim very well by using their tails to
  propel themselves through the water.
• Their webbed feet help them swim better too.
• Alligators walk in a flat-footed manner.
• On land, they can run fast, but only in short
  bursts.

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An Alligators Head

• An alligators eyes, ears, and nose are on the
  top of the head.
• The alligator is able to see, hear, and breathe
  while they are still under water.
• The Alligator can open its jaws underwater
  without getting water in its lungs.

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Alligator Behaviors

• Female alligators lay about 20 to 60 eggs at a
  time. The mother covers the nest for about
  three months to protect the eggs from predators.
  When the eggs are ready to hatch, the mother
  opens the nest and helps the young baby
  alligators out of their shells.

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An Alligator's Habitat

• An Alligators habitat can be a wetland, a lake,
  a river, or a swamp. They live most of the time
  in the water. Their tail is half the animals
  length. Alligators talk to each other with their
  bodies. Sometimes he slaps the water with his
  head to tell other alligators to stay away.

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Alligator's Diet

• Alligators eat fish, birds, turtles, reptiles,
  and mammals. It eats anything from insects to
  buffalo. Its mouth has 80 sharp teeth. Forty
  teeth are on the top and forty are on the bottom.
  

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A Diagram of an Alligator
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• I hope you learned a lot. Remember to visit the
  Alligator exhibit whenever you go to the zoo.

http//www.enchantedlearning.com/Alligator.shtml
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Alligator

• by DARYN WHITE