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Gator
Tales
Did you know that the ancestors of alligators that lived millions of years
ago were 36 feet long? Here are a few more interesting facts to share with
your child:
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The
largest alligator ever recorded in Florida was 14 feet 10 inches long.
Most are half that length or less.
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As
the vegetation in a gator nest rots, its produces heat, which helps
the eggs develop. The temperature inside the nest determines whether
the eggs develop into males or females.
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Alligators
eat just about anything - fish, turtles, small mammals and birds.
Large gators sometimes eat deer, hogs and calves.
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Gators
have webbed feet, but it is their strong muscular tail that propels
them through the water.
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Gators
have three eyelids - an upper, a lower and a transparent one that
protects their eyes while allowing them to see underwater.
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You can estimate the size of a gator in the water
by calculating the distance between its nostril and its eyes. The
number in inches, is proportional to the length of the gator in feet
from the nose to the tip of its tail.
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American Alligator |
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With Your
Child 
