Crocodiles Species Were Abundant Just A Few Million Years Ago
April Flowers for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online The largest number of crocodile species is currently found in northern South America and Southeast Asia, and as many as six species of alligator and four true crocodiles exist. However, no...
Latest Alligatoridae Stories
Signs alert passersby of alligators lurking in water areas NEW YORK, May 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- America is home to over 3 million alligators, and it's important to tread carefully around these fearsome creatures. MySafetySign.com has launched new alligator warning signs to help citizens in alligator-populated areas avoid sudden attacks. Alligators generally stay away from humans, but become very defensive and aggressive when threatened. During the summer months, attacks increase...
April Flowers for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online The Isthmus of Panama uplifted 2.6 million years ago to form a land bridge connecting North and South America. This bridge has long been thought to be the crucial step in the interchange of animals between the Americas. Armadillos and giant sloths moved up into North America and ancient relatives of modern horses, rabbits, foxes, pigs, cats, dogs and elephants moved down into South America. A new study from the University of Florida...
The Black Caiman is currently attempting a comeback from 90% extinction caused by hunting and habitat loss, but is threatened by another crocodilian. An article in the March 2013 issue of the journal Herpetologica examines the dietary relationship between these two crocodilians. Lawrence, KS (PRWEB) February 12, 2013 Herpetologica – As the Black Caiman, a relative of the alligator, attempts a comeback from near extinction, its biggest threat is not humans or predators, but another...
Brett Smith for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online Crocodiles and alligators are well-known for being cold-blooded and having thick skin, but new research from a pair of Vanderbilt University scientists has shown that the ancient reptiles can be quite sensitive. More specifically, the scientists demonstrated that these reptilian predators have small pigmented domes that dot their skin-- conveying a sense of touch is even more responsive than that of humans, according to the pair’s...
MCFARLAND, Wis., Nov. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Two American alligators injured during a break-in at a Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, home are being shipped via a Medivac flight from Pennsylvania to Spartan Animal Hospital in McFarland, Wisconsin for veterinary surgical care on November 10, 2011. The two alligators will be under the care of Michael Wenninger, DVM, of Spartan Animal Hospital, who has extensive experience with a wide variety of exotic animals. Dr. Wenninger has worked as an...
CAMDEN, N.J., Oct. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- There's something BIG awaiting your next visit to Adventure Aquarium on the Camden, NJ Waterfront. Very big. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111013/PH86144 ) A 14-foot, 800-pound American alligator named Mighty Mike is now on exhibit at Adventure Aquarium; the largest alligator in the country on display outside of Florida. "We wanted to do something big," said Kevin Keppel, the Aquarium's Executive Director, "and it doesn't get much...
Florida alligators travel upstream and downstream between marshes and the coastBy Cheryl Dybas, NSF'Gators. They're everywhere in freshwater areas of the Southeastern U.S.Now, scientists have found American alligators also swim into the brackish waters of estuaries, places where rivers meet the sea, out into the coastal zone and back again.These "commuter" alligators connect very different habitats, creating links between marine, estuarine and freshwater food webs."Alligators...
The Wildlife Conservation Society and other organizations released a new study recommending a disease screening program for farm-raised caiman in ranching facilities in Argentina to ensure the safety of people and wildlife alike.The recommendations focus on two crocodilian species, the yacare caiman and broad-snouted caiman, both of which are reared in caiman ranches for sustainable harvest. The research team sought to assess the presence of potentially harmful bacteria in captive-raised...
Crocodiles and alligators in the Florida Everglades now have a new job: helping US scientists in their fight to preserve the fragile wetlands. Researchers are implanting the reptiles with satellite chips in a science first that will allow scientists to follow the animals' movements through different parts of the immense national park. The chips will bounce back information on changes in the ecosystem and its impact on the size and movement patterns of the crocs and gators. "They are giving us...
NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla., May 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Veteran alligator handler and performer, Jeff Quattrocchi was badly bitten during a performance as a crowd looked on in disbelief. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh//LA04715) Nicknamed "Swamp Master", Quattrocchi, was entertaining an audience at a festival in New Port Richey, Florida when suddenly the eight foot alligator he was showing, struck him in his right arm. Three-quarters of his arm was inside the mouth of the gator. The...
Latest Alligatoridae Reference Libraries
The Spectacled Caiman, Caiman crocodilus, is a crocodilian reptile found in much of Central and South America. It lives in a range of lowland wetland and river habitat and can tolerate salt water as well as fresh. Due to this adaptable behavior, it is the most common species of caiman. Males of this species are between 6 and 8.2 feet long, while females are smaller, usually around 4 and a half feet long. The species' common name comes from the bony ridge between the eyes, which give the...
The American Alligator, Alligator Mississippians, is one of two species of living Alligator. It is native to the southeastern United States, where it inhabits wetlands that frequently overlap with human populated areas. It is larger than the other living species, the Chinese Alligator. The American Alligator has a large, slightly rounded body, with thick limbs, broad head, and a very powerful tail. The tail, which accounts for half of the alligator's total length, is primarily used for...
The Chinese Alligator, Alligator sinensis, is one of two living species of Alligator. The Chinese Alligator is native to only China. This species' wild habitat has been reduced to little more than a few ponds along the lower Yangtze River system. Its population reduction has been mostly due to conversion of its habitat to agricultural use. The Chinese Alligator rarely exceeds 7 feet long, with 5 feet being a more common size. It weighs approximately 80 pounds. Their heads are...
