Peaceful swamps and lakes become dangerous territory when "gators" move in. What looks like a harmless floating log could actually be a gigantic alligator. This ancient reptile lurks with almost all of its body beneath the water's surface. Any animal that ventures too close can find itself in the inescapable grip of this creature's jaws. Attacks on humans have become more and more frequent.
Lockjaw: Sharp teeth in the alligator's lower jaw fit neatly into sockets in the upper jaw. This gives the beast an iron grip on prey when it clamps its mouth shut around a victim's flesh.
Heavy Armor: The alligator's skin is thick and scaly, like medieval armor. Some of the scales form hard ridges along the reptile's back, which protect it from harm.
Eyes for You[]
An American alligator chomps down on an unlucky raccoon.
Deadly gators only show their eyes, rounded snouts and bumpy backs as they float along the surface of the water. But the reptile's gaping jaws can go into action in a matter of milliseconds. Once threatened with extinction due to human invasion of their habitats, alligator populations are back to healthy levels, so they will likely cross paths with people. More than 200 gator attacks have been reported over the last several decades.
Call of the Wild: During mating season, male gators roar to attract females. One mouthy gator seems to inspire others, and a symphony of gator growls begins. Males hiss at others in their territory, and will fight off intruders with snapping jaws.
Gator Aid: Gators help other animals survive in harsh habitats. They dig burrows in the mud, which end up filling with water. During dry seasons, small creatures take refuge in these waterholes until the rains return.
Croc and Al[]
The swampy Everglades National Park is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles share the same habitat. These similar creatures both make their homes in hot, wet regions. American alligators are limited to the southeast United States, but crocodiles are found in many other regions of the world.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- The image of the alligator in the swamp, and the main image of the gator's face on the back right, are both shared with the Wildlife Explorer series.
- The American alligator is mentioned on several other cards:
- An infant alligator is illustrated being attacked by an Alligator Gar on the fish's knowledge card in the section "Gar vs. Gator".
- The gator is mentioned as the namesake of the Alligator Snapping Turtle on the turtle's knowledge card.
- It’s mentioned as a relative of the Black Caiman on their knowledge card.
- The American alligator is featured on several Monster Mania cards:
- Its first likely appearance is in Build-A-Beast on Monster Mania 15.
- It later appears on Dead Or Alive? on Monster Mania 51.