What do you know about baby alligators?

Question

The Florida Wildlife commission tells me that alligators typically hatch out between August - October. The insist that the little 6" alligators that have only recently been showing up in our area have to have been born then. I know for a fact that three nests hatched out in our area within the last three weeks. I have been photographing the adults for the last three-four months and there weren't any little ones around until now. Who else could I get answers about this from. (A biologist friend of mine says its a sign of global warming).

Answer 1

There are rumors in south Florida especially of a second breeding season for alligators before the weather turns horribly cold. Nothing's been determined 100%, and I don't believe anyone's turned in any footage of courtship or breeding out of season, (It's typically that the bulls will have a last little bit of bellowing to announce to each other where they're spending the winter, and don't come swimming into my hole if you don't want your *ss beat, no verified breeding, just territoriality.)

Baby alligators are naturally shy and reclusive, that little black lizard with yellow stripes hanging out in the cattails and reeds across the pond from your house would be nearly impossible to see without a very good pair of binoculars or a spotting scope. They get a little experience under their belts and they get a bit bolder... got neighbors on the water? Anyone at the house fish? Is there any possibility at all that they have been fed by anything other than mother nature? (even if someone's feeding the fish or the duck or what have you, this will attract alligators, and get them used to a) eating the scraps left over from the intended targets, or b) feeding from the fringes of the group of animals that is being fed. This is referred to as "incidental feeding", and is just as problematic as directly feeding the alligator. It/they begin associating the presence of a human with an easy meal, over time becoming bolder and bolder.

And yes, it is -very- likely that grunts hatched last year would still be in the 6-9 inch size range, these are wild alligators eating roaches and bugs, maybe some minnows or crawfish if they can catch them, things like this.... it takes a LOT longer in the wild for an alligator to get any size than in captivity.

Another thing to keep into consideration is what surrounds you. If there is new construction where there was so much as a marshy hole that's being backfilled, the alligators will move from it. It's been dry everywhere lately and water levels are dropping, they move around to find water.

There's a lot of factors at work here, and no one can know all of them, but I've been working with alligators for most of my life, including helping my father with the nuisance alligators in our area since he got the contract, I've seen what makes them move, I can look at an area and pretty much put money on how much moving the alligators will be doing through there, and I know those little guys move around, not as much as adults, but still...

Answer 2

Young reptiles would not travel far from there hatching site. It is most likely that the weather, being quite variable in recent years, has changed breeding habits, so that they are being conceived, and hatch, at unusual times of the year.

Answer 3

You might try the Federal version of the state wildlife commission. Different folks, might have different answers.