American Alligator

A natural history of the American alligator.

Scientists believe American alligators have been around for nearly 150 million years, but they came close to going extinct. American Alligator explores the alligator's key role in its habitat, how hunting and habitat changes almost led to its extinction, and how efforts such as egg collection and controlled hunting help to preserve the species. Easy-to-read text, vivid images, and helpful back matter give readers a clear look at this subject. Features include a table of contents, infographics, a glossary, additional resources, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Core Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

In a shallow pond, an enormous alligator is waiting, its nostrils breaking the surface of the dark waters. Suddenly, a duck lands on the pond. The alligator's huge, gaping jaws emerge from the water and snap shut! The duck quickly flaps its wings and escapes. The alligator sinks below the water again. The swamp is home to lots of other prey, and the stealthy alligator will soon catch a tasty meal. Filled with information perfectly suited to the abilities and interests of its primary-grade audience, this colorful, fact-filled book gives readers a chance not only to learn all about American alligators and their swamp habitat, but also to develop powers of observation and critical thinking. Built-in activities, such as using a measuring tape to see how long alligators grow and guessing how a mother alligator takes care of her young, give readers a chance to gain insights beyond the facts and figures.

Having survived since the Mesozoic era, alligators teetered on the brink of extinction in the 1960s. Their recovery in the 1970s was largely due to legislative intervention, and today populations are closely monitored throughout their range. American Alligator is the most up-to-date and comprehensive treatment of this resilient relic, a creature with a brain weighing less than half an ounce that has successfully adapted to a changing Earth for more than 200 million years. Kelby Ouchley chronicles the evolution of A. mississippiensis from "shieldcroc"--the last common ancestor of modern-day alligators, crocodiles, caimans, and gavials--to its current role as keystone of the ecological health of America's southern swamps and marshes. In Florida, the apex predator uses its snout and feet to clear muck from holes in the limestone bedrock. During the dry season, these small ponds or "alligator holes" provide refuge, food, and water for a variety of wildlife. In Louisiana, millions of dollars are spent on the bounty of the non-native nutria that overgraze marsh vegetation, but alligators prey on these coastal rodents free of charge. The loss of the American alligator would be a blow to biodiversity and an ecosystem disruption affecting all levels of the food chain. While the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed it from the endangered species list in 1987 and today regulates the legal trade of the animal and its products, Ouchley cautions us not to forget the lessons learned: human activities, from urban development to energy production, can still threaten the future of the gator and its southern wetland habitat.

Scientists believe American alligators have been around for nearly 150 million years, but they came close to going extinct. American Alligator explores the alligator's key role in its habitat, how hunting and habitat changes almost led to its extinction, and how efforts such as egg collection and controlled hunting help to preserve the species. Easy-to-read text, vivid images, and helpful back matter give readers a clear look at this subject. Features include a table of contents, infographics, a glossary, additional resources, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Core Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.