Thursday, October 27, 2011

Gators and Crocs

Alligators and Crocodiles live in Florida. Let's call them 'gators & crocs'.
Look at picture #1. Is it a gator or a croc? Can you tell the difference?


1
This is a gator. Anyone in Florida would know this animal. 
Gators are very common throughout Florida. However, they don't
seem to be much of a problem (knock on wood). There are an
estimated 1 to 2 million alligators in the state of Florida. A group
of gators is called 'a congregation of gators'. Gators like
fresh water. For example, gators can be found in rivers, lakes,
 ponds and sometimes pools.


 2
This one is a croc. It's habitat is the Everglades and the Bay of Florida.
This animal likes brackish water. What's brackish? It's a mix of fresh
water and sea water. In Florida, there are very few crocodiles.
Crocodiles can  trace their history back over 260 million years.
However, there are less than 500 crocs in Florida now. 
Despite being a protected animal, its' time may be running out.  



 3
Let's look at this picture. Please study the head shape. The front
part of the face or snout of a gator is rounded. The croc's head is
triangular in shape. The color of the two is different, too. The gator
is darker than the croc. There are other differences of course.
In Florida, your chances of seeing a croc are small.
If you see an animal like this, it's probably a gator. 



4
That's what a gator looks like in the water. It's home is the water
and it can be dangerous.


5
Wow, look at that. That's a really scary croc. I feel like running
away. Although at home in the water, these animals can move quickly
for short distances on land.



These are fascinating animals. I like to look at them. However,
they are wild and dangerous. We must always respect the
power of these two ancient creatures. In addition, these animals
are protected by law. They have a right to live in Florida just
like the people do.


What a place! Florida! Beautiful and magical...and yet, there is a wild side to Florida. In the swamps...in the rivers...the masters of the water live.

Have a Great Day!

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