American Alligator at Dinner Island Ranch

"American Alligator at Dinner Island Ranch"

 

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY – DINNER ISLAND RANCH WMA, FL 

 

This photograph of an American Alligator was taken at Dinner Island Ranch WMA with a Nikon D80 and a Tamron 28-300mm telephoto lens.

Alligator Trivia:

The American Alligator, Alligator mississippiensis, (known colloquially as simply gator) is one of the two living species of Alligator, a genus within the family Alligatoridae. The American Alligator is native only to the Southern United States, where it inhabits wetlands that frequently overlap with human-populated areas. It is larger than the other extant alligator species, the Chinese Alligator.

American alligators are mostly found in the Southeastern United States, from Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia/North Carolina south to Everglades National Park in Florida and west to the southern tip of Texas. They are found in the U.S. states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, Virginia and Oklahoma. Florida and Louisiana currently have the largest population of alligators. Florida has an estimated population of 1 to 1.5 million while Louisiana has an estimated population of 1.5 to 2 million.

In Florida, alligators face ambient temperature patterns unlike elsewhere in their range. The consistently high temperatures lead to increased metabolic cost. Alligators in the Everglades have reduced length to weight ratio, reduced total length, and delayed onset of sexual maturity compared with other parts of their range. The reason for this poor condition is currently suspected to be a combination of low food availability and sustained high temperatures

Although primarily freshwater animals, alligators will occasionally venture into brackish water. Alligators live in wetlands and this is the vital habitat that holds the key to their continued long-term survival. Alligators depend on the wetlands, and in some ways the wetlands depend on them. As apex predators, they help control the population of rodents and other animals that might overtax the marshland vegetation.

 

 

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    17 Thoughts to “American Alligator at Dinner Island Ranch”

    1. Marshall.D

      Really excellent photography

    2. Sean

      Alan, this is one incredible shot. how close were you to the gator? Nice trivia

    3. Alan S. Hochman

      Close enough to know better!

    4. Howard Glatter

      ya got one of the gator eating the turkey?

    5. Alan Hochman

      No, but this one almost ate ME!!!

    6. flower tattoo designs

      Very cool blog!

    7. JanetS41

      Allan I want to go with you on a photo op

    8. DannyDawg

      I’m quite jealous

    9. Isobel

      Great photo, looks as if he is smiling at a private joke.

    10. Alan S. Hochman

      His smile was thinking how tasty I would be!! lol

    11. Putzshire

      Nice pic. I’m going to show it to my daughter so she can see what awaits her when she moves to Florida!

    12. Alan S. Hochman

      LOL Now she’ll never move!!

    13. Tim.D

      Definitely impressed with your work.

    14. Rachel Lacey

      Cool! Thanks for tweeting this.

    15. Alan S. Hochman

      My pleasure Rachel. TY

    16. Nice picture but not that keen on meeting one. Lizards are good enough for me

    17. Alan S. Hochman

      Thank you Birgitta.
      We have lizards (Iguana’s) that grow 4-5 feet here in Florida.

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