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Alligators first appeared during the Oligocene epoch about 37 million years ago. An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae.

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Alligators are opportunistic feeders. Their diets include prey species that are abundant and easily accessible. Juvenile alligators eat primarily insects, amphibians, small fish, and other invertebrates. Adult alligators eat rough fish, snakes, turtles, small mammals, and birds.

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Alligators' main prey are smaller animals they can kill and eat with a single bite. They may kill larger prey by grabbing it and dragging it into the water to drown. Most of the muscle in an alligator's jaw evolved to bite and grip prey.

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Male alligators will grow faster and larger than females. Females can grow to approximately 9' in length and 200+ pounds. Males can grow to approximately 13'+ in length and attain 500+ pounds. The record alligator taken in Louisiana was 19 feet 2 inches.

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Baby alligators (hatchlings) have a pointed “egg tooth” or a caruncle to help them break out of their shell. This tooth is soon lost after hatching. Hatchlings are about 8 inches long. A group of hatchlings is called a pod. Baby alligators become adults after about 10 years.

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An alligator's sex is determined by the temperature of their nest during incubation. The alligator will be male if the temperature of the nest is above 93 degrees Fahrenheit during this incubation period. If the nest is below 86 degrees Fahrenheit, the gator will be female. If the nest temperature is between 86 and 93 degrees Fahrenheit, then both genders are possible!

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Alligators are reptiles, meaning they breathe only through their lungs and have dry, scaly skin that prevents them from drying out.

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Alligators can reach speeds of up to 35 mph on land (though they are known to tire quickly). In the water, an alligator can reach a top speed of 20 mph.

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The Average lifespan of an American Alligator is about 30-50 years!