Description:
The name "alligator" comes from the Spanish "el lagarto," meaning lizard. It can be differentiated from the American crocodile by its large, broad snout.

Alligators that shared the earth with dinosaurs 180 million years ago looked almost the same and played similar ecological functions as their present-day relatives.

The largest alligator on record measured 5.8 meters (19 feet 2 inches) and the heaviest, taken in recent times near Gainesville, Florida, weighed 473 kilograms (1,043 lbs). However, such large and heavy animals are quite uncommon.

Habits:
American alligators are cold-blooded animals, but generally are active year round in South Carolina. Breeding season for the American alligator varies throughout its range because the onset coincides with warmer weather. In SC, the majority of nest construction and egg laying takes place during the month of June.

Nests are located on high ground, 1 to 5 meters (3 to 18 ft) from the water’s edge, and consist of a large mound of mud and crushed vegetation.

Sex of alligators is determined by nest temperatures during the middle third of embryo development. Decreasing numbers of males are produced as temperatures approach 35, a temperature beyond which only females are produced. Incubation periods average between 63 and 65 days. Hatching success averages approximately 70% in South Carolina. Hatchling alligators average about 24 cm (10 in) in total length and weigh 45-55 g (1.5-2.0 ounces). After hatching, juvenile alligators remain together in a group called a pod or creche, which may remain together for up to three years.

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