Little Gators
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Alligator eggs usually hatch late August/early September. As much as I searched this past winter, it wasn’t until mid-March that I finally found any juvenile alligators.
These in this post were found in the front area at the Fakahatchee Strand Big Bend Boardwalk. Vulnerable and always in hiding from predators, the warm temps were bringing the little ones out to sunbathe.
But before anyone starts ga-ga-ing over them and taking photos, they need to know where Mama is. She is a ferocious protector of her offspring.
Ahhhh…..I found her, in the front pond, mid-day sunbathing.
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“Mama”
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Across from the pond is a canal that leads deep into the strand that the boardwalk follows. It was at the canal’s beginning near the parking lot that I spotted and counted 13 juvenile alligators, ranging in two age groups, approximately one foot (30 cm) and 2.5 feet (30 to 76 cm) long.
Interestingly, juvenile alligators stay under their Mama’s protection for the first two years of their life as they learn to survive.
At hatching, these reptiles are 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) long.
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Young alligator, approx. six months old and one foot (30 cm) long
(I left the leaf in the photo for comparison)
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Close-up of a six-month old (one foot long) alligator
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Big bro or sis was sunning on the embankment, babysitting for Mama. 😉 Or testing its bravery.
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Young alligator approx. 18 months old and 2.5 feet (76 cm) long
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Close-up of 18 month old alligator
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Some of the ‘babies’ were looking to buddy up with another big bro or sis.
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Six month olds climbing on 18 month old to sunbathe
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Right after that shot above, little gator #3 was trying to climb on #2, knocking them both into the water. But that little gator #1 hung on tight!
And now for a couple of endearing shots of the two left. At least I thought so! 😊
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Remember, one foot long on top of 2.5 feet long.
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Cute! Yea…..until they get 5 to 10 to 15 feet long! 😳
Meanwhile….while looking at these, were you paying attention on the whereabouts of someone not to be forgotten?
No worries! I was for all of us! 😊
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Mama’s intimidating eye gives a clear message which I took seriously
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Interesting fact: An adult alligator has roughly 80 teeth in its mouth at one time. As the teeth wear down, they are replaced with new teeth. An average alligator can go through 2,000 to 3,000 teeth in a lifetime.
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