General Info – Page 2 – Regarding Reptiles

Photo courtesy of Brady. I've been studying crocodilians lately and was really surprised to learn how sparse the information is for the Chinese alligator. So today I've prepared for you a Chinese alligator guide, filled with facts and pictures to help you learn more about this awesome alligator! Did you know there are only two species of alligator in the world? As popular as alligators are, you would think they would be more widespread and abundant than they are, but no! There are only two types. The American alligator and the Chinese alligator. And of the two, the Chinese alligator is the rarest. In fact it is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). Chinese Alligator Description These gators grow to an average length of 3-5 feet and weigh from 80-100 pounds, though seven feet is not unheard of. Females tend to be smaller than males. You can't always gauge the sex just by size however, since both males and females continue growing their entire life. Cool Fact! Fossils indicate that the Chinese alligator used to be larger with specimens reaching up to 10 feet. Their armored body is almost entirely gray or black when they are adults, but as juveniles is typically spotted with light colors such as white or yellow. They have a shorter and broader snout than many other crocodilians. Unlike the American alligator, the Chinese alligator does not have webbed feet. Where Is The Chinese Alligator From? At one time the Chinese alligator enjoyed a wide territory ranging from eastern China, all the way to Japan. Now they are limited to only two or three provinces in China. Currently these gators can be found around the Yangtze River in eastern China as well as a few surrounding tributaries. They are one of the top three most endangered crocodilians in the world. What Makes Them So Popular? Despite their rarity, these alligators are world renowned. Obviously this is due in part that they are one of only two types of alligators. There is more to it than that though. Many people believe their popularity is a result of their ties to the Chinese dragon. Strong evidence suggests the Chinese alligator was the original inspiration for the Chinese dragon. This is the animal thought to be responsible for the dragons that the ancient Chinese drew, which is still a very important part of Chinese culture. It represents royal power and good fortune, and is thought to help people. Mostly though, I think the reason for the popularity of this alligator stems from the enormous effort to save it from extinction. Chinese Alligator Conservation Efforts The Chinese alligator has been around for millions of years. In fact the oldest fossil was found in western Japan and is estimated to be around 3 million years old. Around 5000 B.C. however, their population began to decline due to humans expanding into their territory. Fast forward to the 1950's This animal's range had been reduced to three areas in eastern China: the Yangtze, southern Anhui, and the provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Jump again to the 2000's and the Chinese alligator is only found in six counties and cities in Anhui China, and occupies a grand total of 2 square miles of land in the wild. At its lowest, the population for this animal in the wild fell to around 130. Serious conservation efforts began in the late 1990's, and by the early 2000's their number began to stabilize. As of 2018, the number of wild Chinese alligators is slowly beginning to rise. Fortunately captive breeding has been a huge help in this area. It is estimated that there are over 20,000 captive bred Chinese alligators in zoos and captive breeding facilities across the world. Captive breeding to aid in conservation efforts for this species began in the 1970's, and some are being reintroduced into the wild. You can learn more about how endangered they are, and conservation efforts at the IUCN Red List website. Photo by Brady What Are The Differences Between The American Alligator And The Chinese Alligator? As the only two members of the alligator family, the American and Chinese alligators have a LOT in common. There are however, some distinct differences between the two that are worth noting beyond the fact that they are from different places. The American alligator is much larger in size, length and weight than its Chinese counterpart. In fact it's almost twice as big! American alligators grow to between 11 and 15 feet in length and can weigh nearly 1,000 pounds. Chinese alligators grow to between 5 and 7 feet long and weigh between 80 and 100 pounds. Cool Fact 2! Female alligators of both species are around 75% the size of the males. Chinese alligators hibernate, and American alligators don't. In fact the Chinese alligator could even withstand American winters if it were to live there. Unlike the American alligator which only lives in the warmer climates of southern North America, the Chinese alligator could live as far north as West Virginia, Kentucky and Missouri if it lived in the U.S. Cool Fact 3! The Chinese alligator is the only crocodilian in the world that hibernates! A smaller body size means a smaller head, and thus fewer teeth. American alligators have 74-80 teeth while the Chinese alligator has 72-76.The Chinese alligator has a broader head and snout than the American. This is more noticeable when they are juveniles.Chinese alligators are more armored than are American alligators. While both species enjoy the protection of a rather hard exterior armor on their backs and sides, the Chinese alligator's armored scales extends to include its belly. Cool Fact 4! The Chinese alligator also has bony plates on its upper eyelids to protect its eyes, which the American alligator does not. Scientists originally considered this to be a major difference separating the two species. Now however, we know that the American alligator also has these bony plates sometimes. Although it doesn't happen often, it does appear frequently enough to prevent this from being a distinction between the two. Chinese alligators are burrowers. Unlike American alligators which create their own ponds by digging out what are known as “alligator holes”, the Chinese alligator makes actual underground burrows near small bodies of water where it can go for the winter, or to seek shelter on hot summer days. These tunnels are fairly extensive with multiple chambers.One of the easiest way to tell these two species apart is the fact that the American alligator has webbed feet while the Chinese alligator does not. Chinese Alligator Diet It is believed that the Chinese alligator is less aggressive than other crocodilians because they are more selective of their prey. There is no scientific evidence to support this however. These gators are carnivores that feed mostly on fish, mammals and invertebrates such as crustaceans and snails. A study conducted in 1985 showed that snails made up the majority of their diet. As opportunistic feeders, they have also been known to prey on animals such as rabbits, frogs, mollusks and other animals found around rivers, lakes and ponds. Bottom line: as apex predators, they will eat whatever they can catch. How Do They Hunt? Chinese alligators are nocturnal meaning they mostly hunt at night. They have powerful wide mouths with strong, dull teeth that are perfect for crushing shells. With the majority of their diet being aquatic animals such as river snails, turtles, fish and frogs, these alligators do most of their hunting in the water. Photo by Brady They might also catch animals such as rabbits, birds and rodents close to shore, or ones that might have gone into the water either purposely or accidentally. They have ear flaps and nose flaps which are able to seal out water making them great aquatic hunters. Chinese Alligator Reproduction The Chinese alligator reaches sexual maturity between the ages of 5-7. They have been known to reproduces well into their 50's. Mating occurs in early summer, with June showing the highest amount of reproductive activity. Of course much of this has to do with average temperatures at the time too. Higher temperatures earlier in the year lead to an earlier mating season. During breeding season, these gators tend to be more aggressive as they seek a mate. Cool Fact 5! Males may copulate with several females, and females may also breed with several males. Egg clutches often contain eggs fertilized by multiple males. Nests are built 2-3 weeks after mating, and eggs are incubated for an average of 70 days. Like other reptile species, sex of the young is mostly determined by the temperature the egg was held at during incubation. Lower temperatures around 82 degrees F produce females, while higher temperatures around 91 degrees F result in males. Since clutch sizes average 20-30 eggs, different eggs may receive different temperatures depending on whether they are at the top or the bottom of the clutch, or whether they are near the outside or in the middle. Cool Fact 6! The female guards the nest, while males show no signs of parental involvement. Nests are always located near water, and when the babies hatch, the mother helps them to the water. Juvenile Chinese alligators are among the smallest of all crocodilians. They are typically just over 8 inches long and weigh just over one ounce. It has been reported that in captivity, juveniles may have a tendency to fight one another. In the wild, these gators don't have much chance for growth in their first year since they are usually born just a couple of months before winter. After that, their growth rate is typical of most crocodilians. This is not seen in captive bred species since they are provided with a more consistent diet. Summary From modern day zoos to ancient legend and folklore, the Chinese alligator is world renowned despite its alarmingly low numbers in the wild. These holdovers from the age of the dinosaurs that inspired tales and legends in Chinese culture, have also inspired conservationists around the world.