Purse
American Alligator
Alligator mississippiersis
Life expectancy: Average 15 years in captivity; Less than 5 in wild
Habitat: Forests & Grasslands, Native to North America and can be found in Central Mexico to Nunavut
and the Northwest Territories and across the Maritimes to British Columbia.
Born: 1987
Characteristics: Nocturnal & Omniverous
Fun Facts About Alligators
- The alligator became the official state reptile of Florida in 1987. The alligator family includes the American and Chinese alligators and all caimans.
- Spanish sailors thought they were huge lizards and called them allagarter and in time became alligator.
- An alligator can go through 2,000 to 3,000 teeth in a lifetime.
- Alligators are a popular attraction in Florida, where tourists enjoy feeding them.
