Alligator Mississippiensis 

Biological Overview

Habitat 

They live along the Atlantic coast, warm wetlands, eat shoreline animals. 

Diet 

Juveniles eat insects, snails, and small fish. Young adults eat snakes, bugs, and frogs. Full grown adults will eat anything that comes to the water’s edge 

Role in Ecosystem 

When they become adults they become the apex predator with no natural predators. 

Behavior 

They can Crawl, Walk, Swim, and Run. They dig holes from extreme weather 

Human Impact

The American Alligator’s are negatively impacted by Humans because most are poached for commercial usage and their populations drastically decline because of this. Even though their populations are still high it is still important to be aware of the care they get. They could also be harmed if their habitat is destroyed. Most of the deforestation is not due to wildfires but because of human urbanization. This also creates more pollution in areas the American Alligator lives such as wetlands where pollution can easily reach them. 

Creative Exploration

Day 3: Surviving the poachers. 

 I slept near the few family members I have left. Early in the morning, I woke up to  fishermen (Well, I thought they were.). The Humans took most of my family and our eggs. I never saw them again. I don’t know what happened to them, but I don’t want to leave my home. When we came to close to the humans, the next second we were all running for our live. We escaped, but my brother was caught.  We couldn’t help. We were forced to leave. My family and I moved downstream to the lake, finally safe. Two months later, we woke to a metal-like taste in the water. We decided to return home to lay eggs, since the lake water was oily and made us sick. When we arrived we only saw humans, they took our home.. Soon after we were caught because we were to sick to fight back We were taken to a zoo but at least we don’t have to fear for our lives anymore.  

Max Anderson, Jacob Fernandez-Martinez, Colton McFarland

Book 1