Alligator

        Alligators are reptiles.  There are two kinds of alligators.   The American  alligator lives in low, wet parts  of the  southeastern   United States.  The Chinese  alligator lives in the lower  Yangtze  River Valley in China. Both alligators  are  related  to crocodiles   and  Central  and  South  American caimans.

        Alligators have thick bodies and tails. Their eyes stick up so that  they  can see when their bodies are underwater.   They have tough skin and short,  strong  legs. They swim by moving their strong tails from side to side.

        The largest male alligators are about 12 feet (3.7 meters) long and weigh 450 to 550 pounds (204 to 249 kilograms).   Females  are smaller.

        A female  alligator makes a large nest of plants on the wet grass. She lays 20 to 60 eggs that are a little larger than chickens' eggs. The young hatch in about 9 weeks.  Alligators  live 50 to 60 years.

        Alligators   eat small animals, including fish, frogs,  snakes,  turtles,   and  birds.  Large male alligators even attack dogs, pigs, and cattle and pull them underwater.   During winter, alligators  nest underwater   or dig holes in swamps  and marshes.

         Alligators  and crocodiles  are different  in some ways. For instance, crocodiles have a narrower snout. Another telltale sign is that the fourth tooth on a crocodile's  bottom  jaw shows when its mouth is closed.