AMERICAN ALLIGATOR

Submitted by Jordyn Northern, Assistant Naturalist Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort.

Fripp Island is known for its abundance of wildlife, and as we get closer and closer to summer, more wildlife has begun to stir.

As the temperature warms, the prehistoric predators that roam Fripp begin to come out of brumation. Brumation is a period similar to hibernation in mammals, where reptiles show minimal activity and stop eating for the colder months. The American Alligator exits brumation at the end of February, and begins courtship in early April.

For the American Alligator, sexual maturity is reached based on their size rather than their age. This typically occurs once they reach six to eight feet long.

This may take females ten to fifteen years, and males it may take eight to twelve years. Once they have reached the right size, they can begin courting.

Males partake in what many call a “water dance”. They take in a large gulp of air, raise their head out of the water, arch their tail, and bellow. This produces a sound wave that makes the water dance around his torso.

This announces the size, sex, and social position of each individual, as well as helping them to set up territories. If males are able to attract a mate, she will approach him and respond by wrapping her body around his neck while he continues to bellow. This begins the mating process.

After mating, a female alligator begins to build a nest using mud and vegetation. The nests tend to be several feet high once complete. Once the nest is built, she will use her back legs to make a bowlshaped depression at the top of the nest mound. Once this hole is made, the mother will lay anywhere between 20 to 60 eggs in the nest. Then, she covers them with dirt and leaves to conceal them from predators.

What many people might not realize about alligators is that they are one of the only reptiles whose mothers show maternal care.

Once a mama gator builds her nest and lays her eggs, she sticks around the nest for the full incubation period, which is typically around 65 days.

She defends her young from predators to give them the best chance of survival.

After incubation, at the end of August or beginning of September, the babies are ready to hatch and they will emit a call from inside the egg.This lets the mother know it is time to remove the dirt and vegetation from the top of the nest so the babies can emerge from their eggs. Hatchlings tend to stay in groups, called pods, and will continue to be protected by their mother for one to three years.

So as you walk around Fripp Island this spring, listen for the prehistoric calls from our beloved American Alligator. If you are here long enough, you may hear the baby’s calls as they begin to emerge from their eggs. Just remember not to get too close!

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