As alligators grow

If Texas is rich with rattlesnakes, then Louisiana, thanks to extensive swamps, rich in alligators. On the southern coast of the United States alligators inhabit an area of ​​over 4.5 million. Acres in 10 states, and the total population of these green-brown reptiles is about three million, two of whom live in Louisiana. This population should add about half a million alligators, which are contained on farms Louisiana, but that will never fall into the "real" environment.

Today I will tell you about the habits and life alligators, as well as their growing cycle on farms.





The name "Alligator" data reptiles gave the Spanish explorers, who called them «El legarto», which means "big lizard».



Alligator blooded animals, which means that their body temperature is regulated by the ambient temperature. Actually for this reason alligators often lie in the sun, raising the body temperature before prolonged swimming in cold water.



The interested reader will ask, but as related body temperature and swimming? The fact that with the reduction in body temperature alligators metabolism slows down, respectively, and the nervous system begins to run poorly, and if they become quite cold, they can not move effectively and, accordingly, hunting.



Therefore, if you see an alligator basking in the sun, from him should stay away, because it means that he is very hungry and ready to hunt.



When alligators hatch from eggs, their length is about 15-25 cm. In the year of the alligator can grow from 4 to 30 cm, depending on the ambient temperature than it warmer longer period of time, the greater the progress of growth.



Therefore, alligators Louisiana more than alligators South Carolina.



It is also worth noting that the growth declines with age, and males grow faster.



On average, alligators live as much as humans, 70 years old, but there are some individuals who have an age of about 100 years. The average size adult female 20 years - 90 kg, 3 meter, male - 4.5 m and 200 kg.



The biggest wild alligator caught had a length of 5.8 meters.



Breed alligators in the summer, the males "fight" for the female to death, literally, so to see an adult alligator without legs or without a piece of the tail - a common occurrence. In addition, they can have each other after the fight.



In spite of this, females are very good mothers, who will take care of their children to ward off any foreign alligators and other predators from the nest. On average, the female lays about 30 eggs.



Incidentally, an interesting fact alligator nest consists of a pile of hay in which the female lays eggs. Gradually hay rot, releasing heat, and that heat will determine the sex of their alligatrenkov.



If the temperature rises above 30 degrees - born man, and below - the girl. If someone does not hatched, Mama will help break an egg tooth and hatch, and then all the kids sit in my mother's mouth and go to the water. Usually my mother to look after children 6 months. And do teenagers live near the house about 2 years, after which they could migrate.



Quiet boys, not palimsya!



After reaching a length of 2 meters, the alligator has only two species that are dangerous for him - a man and another alligator. All other animals are not able to penetrate the thick scaly reptile shell.



Skin alligators mainly used for shoes, for the manufacture of bags and suitcases.



This is due to the fact that the skin is very strong, and gives a very durable shoes. Actually, so these animals hunted in the 1990s were alligators in the Red Book, hunting them was banned and they were massively farmed.



Today the population is restored, and more in the Red Book are not registered.



Alligators are found on farms in incubators until a length of about 4 meters. In an incubator maintained at a constant temperature - about 35 degrees, so that animals are able to grow continuously with a maximum advance of about 2-3 meters per year.



Upon reaching a length of about 5 meters alligators transferred to the pool, where they lived for several years. This is done in order to become a tough skin.



In the basins contain only individuals of the same sex - to avoid fights for the female and damage each other's skins.



Feed the alligators mainly animals, deer, which are also grown on the farm and are caught during the hunting season for deer.



Release into the wild of alligators in any case impossible - they become very active hunters on the people, because for a person accustomed to the growth period. Generally alligators do not like people, and in most cases, try to hide from humans. Attack usually females, during the invasion of the protected territory of the nursery, attack other wild animals are very rare, even hunger.



Incidentally, about a quarter of the population after five months in the open back of a farm environment. At this age, to produce the alligators will not dangerous.



Then catch an alligator farm. The skins are used mainly for shoes, as I said above, the meat goes to restaurants, bone - in jewelry stores for making ornaments and frames.



The annual turnover of the Louisiana farm of about $ 15 million annually hammered approximately 100,000 individuals in all farms in the United States.



While walking on a souvenir shop, stumbled upon here is such a nezhdanchik. I also offered to buy the Soviet gas mask, said that it is not terrible hunt.