Crocodiles and alligators are sometimes confused for one another. They live in different ecosystems most of the time, yet they look and behave alike.
Only in the small Florida Everglades region of the world do alligators and crocodiles coexist. Do they get along, though? Kind of.
Unless their young are in danger, crocodiles and alligators usually stay away from one another when they live together in the same surroundings.
Crocodiles and alligators: The Key of Differences
Although crocodiles and alligators may appear similar at first, but they differ greatly from one another.
Environment and Habitat
Except for a single instance, crocodiles and alligators live totally different climates. For example, crocodiles can survive in both freshwater and saltwater environments. The alligator, however, is a freshwater animal.
Whereas alligators may be found across the Americas, crocodiles are indigenous to Africa, Asia, and Australia. Moreover, certain regions of China are home to the Chinese alligator.
Physical Appearance
Crocodiles and alligators don’t have very similar appearances. Crocodiles have short, tapering, triangular snout and strong skin that is grayish green in color. The fourth tooth is visible, and its teeth are also extremely long.
In contrast, the enormous nostrils at the tip of an alligator’s long, rounded snout face slightly upward. Yellow stripes across the length of their bodies also aid in the concealment of young alligators.
On both sides of their mouths, alligators also have a fourth tooth that precisely fits into an internal socket in the upper jaw. When its mouth is closed, it remains concealed.
Size
Both crocodiles and alligators are enormous predators, however crocodiles tend to be bigger. Alligators are shorter than most crocodiles by at least one meter (3 feet).
For example, a 1,000-pound saltwater crocodile may reach a length of 17 feet. Still, it is not unusual to find crocodiles longer than 23 feet.
Alligators may grow to a length of 8.2 to 11.2 feet, unlike crocodiles. Longer alligators have, however, been captured in the past. At nineteen feet and three inches, the world’s longest alligator was taken.
Similarities Between Alligators And Crocodiles
Alligators and crocodiles share a few characteristics despite their differences.
Strength
Alligators and crocodiles possess great strength. They have enormous teeth and long tails. Large tails are used by crocodiles and alligators to hit their prey. Also, it makes them swim more quickly. These two have long claws as well. They are cunning hunters who leap upon their prey.
Diet
Crocodiles and alligators have a same diet. They actually eat a lot of the same food. For both animals to live and digest their food before going in search of more, feeding is only necessary once a week.
In addition to birds, alligators also hunt deer, raccoons, and large fish. They are waiting to jump out of the water, opportunistic hunters.
Insects, fish, lizards, and small animals are also eaten by crocodiles. The fish and bug species differ, though, because some of them are marine creatures.
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History
Alligators and crocodiles have a great deal of common past. The scientific order of these two large aquatic reptiles is the same. Despite belonging to separate families, alligators and crocodiles are members of the Crocodylia order.
Alligators belong to the Alligatordae family, while crocodiles are members of the Crocodylidae family. However, they shared an ancestor during the Cretaceous era, about 95 million years ago.
Crocodiles and alligators are ancient animals. They predated humans by a great distance. Research on alligators’ ages is still ongoing, despite their extraordinary longevity.
Given that they have hardly altered throughout the years, scientists estimate that alligators are at least 6 to 8 million years old.
Crocodiles are old animals as well. Its first known ancestor lived approximately 200 million years ago on Earth. comparable to its later ancestors that were able to swallow a seal whole without chewing, the Amphicotylus milesi possesses a comparable cranium.
One way to illustrate how old crocodiles are is by referring to them as “living fossils.”
Do Alligators And Crocodiles Fight?
Although a fight between alligators and crocodiles sounds wonderful, it seldom occurs in the wild, even in the Florida Everglades, where they share the same habitat.
Alligators and crocodiles usually stay apart from one another.
Both of them are sly hunters that avoid taking on targets that are bigger than they are. An alligator and a crocodile will only come into fight when they feel danger.
Although it happens seldom, crocodiles often prevail in fights against alligators. These creatures are too big and too fast for alligators to compete with. On land, crocodiles can reach up to 15 or 18 mph, and in the water, their speed is even higher.
Alligators may move quickly, but only in shortly bursts. They can run 11 mph regularly, but they tired rapidly. They do, however, run up to 35 mph in short bursts when hunting.
Although alligators move more quickly in the water, crocodiles are more swift and possess the advantage.
Alligators, on the other hand, have about 80 teeth, whereas crocodiles only have 60. Nevertheless, an alligator’s biting force is 2,500 psi, and a crocodile’s is around 3,700 psi due to their sheer size.
Are Crocodiles and Alligators More Dangerous?
Compared to alligators, crocodiles are more dangerous. Particularly near the Nile River, they are more aggressive.
It’s interesting to note that crocodiles are regarded as more gentle than alligators in the Everglades. But you should try to stay away from both of these huge reptiles in the wild.
There are over 1,000 deadly crocodile attacks annually on average. But since not all attacks—especially those that occur in rural areas—are reported, the number may really be higher.
Fatal alligator attacks are extremely uncommon. Although a precise figure is unknown, fatal injuries are rarely. A small portion of the alligator’s diet consists of humans.
With an average of three to ten unprovoked attacks each year, Florida is the state with the highest number of alligator attacks. They are seldom fatal, though.
Conclusion:
Crocodiles and Alligators live together in one region of the planet overall. The crocodiles in the Everglades are more docile to one another and hardly attack one another.
However, because crocodiles and Alligators are dangerous and aggressive animals, you should never attempt to touch or swim with them.