Aviva Trivia

There is more to an alligator than its scary teeth, powerful tail, and daunting size. Get alligator savvy with these amazing alligator facts:

* Alligators have 80 teeth in total; 40 on the top and 40 on the bottom.

* Alligators are born with an ‘egg tooth’ which is a hard piece of epidermis located on the tip of its nose. The egg tooth is used to break the egg upon hatching and is absorbed in a few weeks after birth.

* Alligators have a third eyelid that protects its eyes underwater.

* A snake’s fang cannot penetrate through an alligator’s hard skin.

* An alligator’s bite is so powerful it can bite through a car.

* Alligators live in primarily fresh water although they can survive in salt water but only for a limited time because they lack the salt extracting gland that crocodiles have.

* Alligator’s use their feet to swim and use their tail to accelerate their swimming speed.

* Alligator’s can swim up to 20 miles per hour but only for short distances.

* Alligator’s catch their prey underwater but must keep its head out of water to swallow so they don’t drown.

* Alligators aren’t monogamous and may frequent 10 or more females in their territory.

* After a young alligator reaches 4 feet, its only predator is man.

* No one knows for sure, but it is estimated that an alligator in its natural habitat lives for 35-50 years.

* An alligator living in captivity will live for 60-80 years, significantly longer than alligators in the wild.

* Alligator meat really does taste like chicken!