Have you ever wondered where the name alligator came from? Experts credit the early Spanish explorers for the name. It reportedly came from the expression “el legarto.” This means “big lizard” in their dialect.
There’s no denying the term is appropriate. Alligators do look like giant lizards. They even share some similarities. Both have short legs and long tails. Lizards and gators both start life as eggs. But gators often trump lizards when it comes to size. Female alligators can grow up to 8 feet. Males can clock in at 10 feet or more.
How Fast Do Alligators Grow?
An alligator’s size is mind-blowing when you consider how small it was when it hatched. Baby gators are about 9 inches long when they break out of their shell. Most hatchlings will be 1.5 feet long after one year.
An alligator enjoys a growth spurt of one foot per year during the first four to six years of life. There’s a drastic change of pace afterward. They will grow slower until their 10th year. Most gators are about 8 feet long at this point.
Female alligators often reach their full size of about 9 feet after 10 years. The males will keep growing but it will be about one inch a year.
How fast alligators grow will depend on several factors. Food source, temperature, and the animal’s gender affect its growth rate. This also means gators will mature faster than others. Let’s say an alligator in Florida grows 12 inches a year. A gator in South Carolina grows 7 inches per year. The alligator in Florida will reach maturity faster. It’s because their maturity depends on their body size.
Here are some alligator fun facts. Gators grown in captivity also grow faster than those born in the wild. This is because temperatures are always fixed at 89 degrees during incubation. The practice produces a reptile that’s more efficient in converting food to body weight. They also have a steady supply of food. Gators raised in ranches or zoos also don’t hibernate. They live in a temperature-controlled environment.
Does Diet Affect Size?
Diet does have a significant impact on how fast a gator grows. It also has a big effect on their size. Alligator hatchlings dine on animals they can manage without problems. These are insects, frogs, and small fishes. Their diet changes as they get bigger. They will soon be hunting for larger fish and crabs. They will also start to prey on small birds.
Small prey won’t sustain adult gators. It’s why their diet changes to include large animals like deer, beaver, and muskrats. They will also prey on raccoons, snakes, and turtles. They will also eat large fish and birds.
Farm-bred gators and those living in zoos have an edge, diet-wise. These alligators have a steady supply of food. We’ve all seen videos of zoo employees feeding gators with whole chickens and chunks of meat. They don’t have to hunt for their food. The copious amounts of protein they ingest are fast converted to muscle mass.
Do They Stop Growing?
The idea that alligators never stop growing is an urban legend. It’s fueled by stories of massive alligators seen or found deep in the swamps. Scientists have long since debunked those stories.
Research has shown that an alligator’s growth slows down in adulthood. Male alligators will stop growing when they’re 20 to 30 years old. Scientists have seen proof of this in captive gators. Some specimens remained the same size for years.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise. It’s a trait almost all creatures share. Everyone but a select few will stop growing at a certain age.
Researchers have found that female alligators can reproduce far longer than expected. Gator experts found that females still lay egg clutches into their 70s. The number of viable eggs is often the same as when they were younger. It’s a promising development. With more alligators reaching adulthood, the American alligator population remains safe.
Creating Wonderful Memories of Florida
A visit to Florida guarantees many happy memories. You can add to that when you go on a Swamp Fever Airboat Adventures tour. Customers voted as the best airboat operators for several years now. It’s not a surprise as we give every customer a fun and memorable trip through Florida’s waterways. Book a one-hour boat ride with our very own Captain Ron. He’ll keep you safe and teach you about the state’s flora and fauna. You can book a tour here or you can call us at 352-643-0708.
