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 LITTLE
ROCK - The American Alligator has been a resident of Arkansas for
thousands of years; inhabiting the swamps, sloughs, bayous, river
backwaters, and oxbow lakes throughout the Coastal Plain and
Mississippi Delta.
With
the arrival of European settlers, the land was cleared and drained and
the alligator was hunted without restriction. By the early 1960’s, the
loss of habitat and unregulated hunting had reduced the alligator
population to the point where it was endangered throughout the
southeastern United States.
State and federal protection for over 30 years and restocking efforts
have allowed alligator populations to recover, according to Arkansas
Game and Fish Commission herpetologist Kelly Irwin. “As part of this
recovery, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission restocked 2,800
Louisiana alligators, between 1972 and 1984, throughout the
alligator’s presumed historic range in Arkansas,” Irwin said.
The
alligator is still protected by state and federal laws, and it is
illegal to feed, possess, harass, or kill an alligator, Irwin
explained. “Arkansans need to know and understand that alligators are
a part of our state’s natural heritage and they should be respected
and enjoyed as much as any other fish and wildlife resource,” he
added.
Here
are a few facts about alligators:
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Alligators are members of the Class Crocodylia and are not “true”
reptiles. They are more closely related to birds and dinosaurs,
than to lizards, snakes, or turtles! |
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The ancestors of today’s Crocodilians (alligators, caimans, and
crocodiles) evolved about 200 million years, and the basic body plan
has not changed since! |
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Alligators are a “kind” of crocodilian, of the Family Alligatoridae,
and are not “true” crocodiles. Alligators and their South American
cousins, the Caimans, have broad, rounded snouts and live in
freshwater habitats. True Crocodiles have narrower, pointed snouts
and live in both fresh and salt-water habitats. |
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The average adult alligator ranges from 6-12 feet in length. Males
grow bigger than females, with females rarely growing over 9 feet in
length. |
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Alligators are sexually mature when they reach about 6 feet in
length. |
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Male alligators “bellow” in the spring to attract female alligators.
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Breeding takes place in May and June and eggs are laid in late June
or early July. |
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Females scrape and push soil and vegetation into a “nest mound.”
The mound can be up to 2-3 feet high and 6-7 feet long. Heat
generated from the decomposing plant material aids in the incubation
of the eggs. The female lays from 30-50 eggs in the nest mound and
the eggs hatch in approximately 65 days. The female stays near the
nest during this time to guard it from predators like raccoons and
skunks. |
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When it is time for hatching the female opens the nest when she
hears the “yelping” of the young, and will gently carry the young to
water in her mouth. |
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Young alligators are black in color and are boldly marked with
yellow crossbars. This helps camouflage them from potential
predators. The young will stay close together in and around dense
aquatic vegetation for the first year. The female will remain in
the vicinity to protect them from predators. |
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Alligators survive cold winter temperatures by remaining submerged
in deep water and coming up to breath only once every hour or so, or
by retreating into dens dug into the banks of rivers or levees.
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Alligators are naturally shy of humans and if not accustomed to
human presence will retreat from their approach. However,
alligators that have been fed will learn to approach humans looking
for a handout, and this creates a serious problem for unsuspecting
humans and/or their pets or livestock. |
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Alligators are sometimes attracted to fishermen’s surface action
lures, mistaking them as potential food. |
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Alligators will not attempt to feed during the cool fall and winter
months. So duck hunters can safely use their retrievers in
alligator country when the temperatures remain below 70 degrees.
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People and alligators can safely exist together if people would follow
some simple guidelines and use common sense.
Here’s a few do’s and don’ts in Arkansas alligator country:
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Don’t feed or attempt to feed an alligator. It is illegal!
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Do
tell others that it is illegal to feed an alligator and they are
creating problems for other unsuspecting persons if they do.
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Don’t throw fish scraps in the water on or near boat ramps or other
public access areas. This is just the same as intentional feeding.
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Do
dispose of fish scraps in a garbage can or bury them far from the
water’s edge. |
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Don’t attempt to catch, harass, or kill an alligator. It is illegal!
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Do
keep your distance to observe alligators. |
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Don’t swim or wade in areas where alligators have been seen.
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Don’t allow children or pets to go in or near water in known
alligator habitat. |
Should you observe an alligator in a swamp, river, or other body of
water it is no cause for alarm. If the alligator is being fed or has
attempted to feed on pets or livestock, then the nearest Arkansas Game
and Fish Commission office should be contacted immediately. If you
have questions, need further information, or have a problem with
alligators contact the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission at the
regional office nearest you and ask to speak to the Regional Nuisance
Alligator Coordinator at the following offices: Brinkley (877)
734-4581, Camden (877) 836-4612, Hope (877) 777-5580, Jonesboro (877)
972-5438, Mayflower (877) 470-3650, Monticello (877) 367-3559 or Fort
Smith (877) 478-1043. |
