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Danielle
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Each year, the mating season of the american alligator begins in early spring throughout the wetlands of the southeastern United States. These impressive reptiles use a low-frequency sound, called bellowing, to declare territory and locate suitable mates. Females gather in large numbers for courtship, performing their ”alligator dances” at the surface. But it also attacks other male eager to mate. Alligators are apex predators and no strangers to cannibalistic behavior. A flat out attack on the competition will only scare the females away, therefore even the dominate male in its territory will have to slowly approach a mating couple and gently push the opponent away to gain access to the female.
Regardless, scuffles occur frequently to insure the dominance of the ruling male. Mating only takes place in the fresh water which can become problematic during drought and water mismanagement in South Florida. The courtship is help at the surface while the actual copulation will be performed at a secure location underwater to prevent any disruption. It is unclear why the breeding activities only take place during daylight, in particular near dawn and dusk. At nighttime, the behavior of the american alligators changes entirely, mainly driven by their predatory instinct and the constant hunt for food.
But above all the dominant male relentlessly patrols his large water territory ready to fend off any male intruder. During nighttime, the female builds a nest of vegetation and mud or sometimes even excavating a hole in the ground. After laying 20 to 50 eggs, she will cover them with vegetation. The exothermic reaction of the decaying biomass keep the eggs warm and the temperature at which the embryos develop determines their sex. Incubation at 93 °F or more will produce males, while incubating at 86 °F or lower will produce female. Temperatures in between deliver mixed genders. The female remains near the nest throughout two months incubation period, protecting it from predators and other female alligators in search of a suitable nesting location. Alligator Reproduction was filmed by Heiko Kiera aka Ojatro in Florida in 2016.
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