One may wonder where to find an American Alligator. American Alligators are indigenous the south eastern United States being mostly found in Florida and Louisiana. Just one look at these large enormous armored scaled reptiles, with their massive jaws and distinctive bellowing calls, an it is obvious they are relatives from the prehistoric past. Alligators are said to exist some 150 million years ago and have survived their coevals, the dinosaurs, who became extinct some 65 million years ago. Alligators spend most of the time sunning themselves soaking up as much heat as they can during the spring and summer months. They use their massive bone scales called “osteoderms” to help with thermal regulation. Alligators are ectothermic and require an external heat source “the sun” to aid in digestion and proper bodily function. Many people consider alligators to be eating machines, but the simple fact is, they only average about 50-60 lbs of food per year. Being extremely efficient is what most have attributed to the reason why these reptiles have survived the test of time.
