The Mississippi alligator has a fairly long, but wide and flat snout. Four large occipital flaps are arranged two by two in two transverse rows. In the middle of the body – 8 longitudinal rows of dorsal shields. The bases of the toes of the forelimbs are connected by a swimming membrane.

Social behavior

For Mississippian alligators, the territory is divided between adult animals of each sex into individual plots. The areas of males and females overlap. Adult males have areas of 20-40 ha on which they move.

Reproduction

Females, preparing to lay eggs, build nests-mounds of torn grass with a diameter of about 1.5 m and a height of more than 0.5 m. At the top of the mound, a depression is made, in which the female lays her eggs. After laying 20-60 eggs, the female covers the nesting chamber with grass. Incubation of eggs lasts about 63 days. Shortly before hatching, the young begin to make croaking sounds inside the eggs, attracting the female, who digs out the nest. The female carries the babies hatched from the eggs in her mouth to the reservoir chosen (or dug up) by her in advance. It stays near young alligators for about 2 months, protecting them from enemies.

Species and people

Previously, Mississippian alligators were found in significant numbers in rivers, lakes and swamps. Then the number of this species declined sharply due to the mass extermination of these animals for their skin. Now fishing for alligators is prohibited, their numbers have recovered. Usually alligators avoid collisions with a person, but there are isolated cases of fatal attacks on a person.

Interesting Facts

Alligators constantly clean the ponds in which they live from excessive vegetation and thick mud, pushing it out and bringing it to the shore, creating "alligator ponds".

The record life expectancy of this species is 85 years, but possibly more.