American Alligators
Facts and knowledge of
Alligators
Were do alligators live ?
Habitats
Alligator life cycle
life
Alligators mate and lay eggs in May to June. The female builds a nest onshore and lays 35 to 50 eggs, though some females lay as many as 90 eggs. These eggs incubate for 65 days, then hatch into 6-inch baby alligators. Baby alligators stay with their mother for a few years, depending on her for food and protection. The Smithsonian website states that young alligators grow about 1 foot a year. According to the Smithsonian, alligators are sexually mature at 10 to 12 years of age, when they reach 6 feet in length. They are considered to be adults at six years, and safe from predators at 4 feet in length. They generally leave their mothers and become self-sufficient at 4 feet. Wild alligators live for up to 50 years.
Citations
Ehow.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. <http://www.ehow.com/about_7237086_life-cycle-alligator.html>.
National geographic.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. <http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/american-alligator/>.
Tracker.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. <http://tracker.cci.fsu.edu/alligator/about/where/>.