More Blogs ». Speaking of Sanford police seem to think getting yelled at is reason enough to shoot someone Nov 12, More on Bloggytown Sanford police seem to think getting yelled at is reason enough to shoot someone Nov 12, Readers also liked… As Florida finally gets serious about coronavirus, Asian theme parks are starting to reopen Mar 25, Most Popular Most Read.
November , Newsletters Never miss a beat Sign Up Now Subscribe now to get the latest news delivered right to your inbox. Newest Slideshows. Special Issues City Guide. Holiday Guide. Because they are broader, alligator snouts are stronger than crocodile snouts, which allow them to crush hard shelled prey such as turtles.
Crocodiles are typically lighter in color, with tans and brown colors; alligators are darker, showing more gray and black colors. Both members have an extremely heightened sense, which makes them excellent hunters. With sharp, above-water vision, night vision, sensitive hearing, and vertical pupils that take in additional light, both alligators and crocodiles are a nightmare for their prey. And, with above-water vision, you can expect to see them peeping their eyes up during your Everglades airboat tour.
Both animals have small sensory pits along their jaws that allow them to detect pressure changes in the water, and to locate and capture prey. Neither reptile is a big fan of chewing their food; they both prefer to swallow large chunks or swallow the animal whole. Crocodiles have higher functioning salt glands, which allows them to excrete higher amounts of salt from water than alligators can.
Nesting occurs in late April and early May. The soil nests are built on land and above high tide marks. Females will lay 20 to 60 eggs that incubate for about 85 days.
When the incubation period is complete, females will dig the nest up and carry the young to water Mazzotti, n. Historically crocodiles were hunted extensively as their hides were worth a considerable amount of money between and This caused considerable damage to their population rates. Presently, illegal hunting and habitat destruction are the main threats to the crocodile population Florida Museum of Natural History, n. Habitat destruction occurs in different ways, but the main threat has been humans developing in crocodile habitat.
It is illegal to hunt crocodiles in the U. Hydrological alterations in their habitats can cause damage to their eggs as they cannot withstand conditions that are too dry or too wet Florida Museum of Natural History, n. Crocodile nests also face threats of predation from raccoons, birds, and crabs Mazzotti, n. Other threats include vehicle strikes, disease, and mortality and habitat damage from hurricanes Florida Natural Areas Inventory Federal Recovery Plan. More Information on Crocodiles.
The American Crocodile Crocodylus acutus is a shy and reclusive species which can be found in the tropical areas of North, Central and South America, with many of them found in South Florida. You will usually find the American crocodile living in lakes, ponds and mangrove swamps wetlands found in tropical areas which are surrounded by trees.
The American crocodile is also protected as a threatened species by the Federal Endangered Species Act. A local fisherman nursed a crocodile back to health after it had been shot in the head, and released the reptile back to its home. Read on to discover more about crocodiles!
Crocodiles are mainly found in Southern Florida and there are an estimated , four tooth crocs living there. History lesson time! Millions of years before Vikings crossed the Atlantic, crocodiles swam thousands of kilometres from Africa to colonise the Americas. In , and , Nile crocodiles were said to be living in Florida swamps and were confirmed as Nile crocodiles by a DNA test — it is unclear how they made the 6,mile journey but sources think that they were brought over illegally.
Probably the most important question that you have been waiting for us to answer! Are crocodile dangerous in Florida?
The answer? American crocodiles are at the top of the food chain meaning that any animal or human that they come into contact with could be potential prey for them! These crocodiles are even more dangerous than the lemon shark as they avoid swimming in areas that American crocodiles are in.
0コメント