Alligators
There are some things that make me mad but what makes me STEAM like a dragon is people who ignore signs that say: DO NOT FEED THE ALLIGATORS. Alligators, like Vultures get a bad rap. Listen up: alligators were here before any of us set foot in Florida so they are not the ones who should adapt. They would just as soon hang out in the swamp and mind their own business but some people think they exist to tease with food; hunt and kill when they don’t “behave”. Remember: gators can grow to 12 feet long and they are naturally afraid of humans. So, if you don’t want an encounter with injury or death, keep your distance. The reason I’m so steamed about this is, despite all the warnings, people will continue with stupid behavior and they say we’re the superior being. We’ve had some tragic attacks due to the fact that alligators have lost their natural fear of humans. An added nuisance is overdevelopment that has displaced wildlife and shrunk many wetland habitats. So, please be careful and watch where you walk around freshwater areas. And, at the risk of over-repeating myself – to those who think it’s a hoot to feed the gators – you are endangering the lives of other humans, not to mention, abusing the gators! click here for an Alligator gallery
The Everglades National Park in Florida may well be the only known place where crocodiles and alligators co-exist. How can you tell the difference between them? Well, the gator’s nose is wider than the croc’s. Another difference is that the croc’s nose is pointed to a V shape, whereas the gator’s nose is more rounded to a U shape. They differ in jaw size and color too, with the gator having a darker skin. During the day, alligators like to sleep and sun themselves. At night, they forage for food. This doesn’t mean that you won’t see a gator ambling along the road or swimming near the surface in daylight.
During mating season, alligators will cross highways to get to another body of water or a food source. Some report the nuisance of a ‘gator in their swimming pool. It happens!! A few years ago, there was an incident where an alligator had crossed several lanes of the highway. Gatorino was getting pretty annoyed at drivers whizzing by, so he "attacked" the next car. Fortunately, he took out his ire on the vehicle’s bumper and the driver escaped unhurt. One last thing, please don't even think of getting a baby alligator as a pet. Sure, they're soooo cute but what are you going to do when it grows to 12 feet or more? It is the kinder thing to leave them in their habitat so, make us all happy.