The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is large predatory reptile found across the southeastern United States from North Carolina to the Rio Grande. The man's lifeless body was then seen clamped in the crocodile's jaws as it swam below an observation platform used by people to watch turtles at the lagoon, Visitors had gathered to watch turtles swim at the Laguna del Carpintero in the city of Tampico but were horrified to see a crocodile swimming past them with the man's body in its jaws on Thursday. Being semiaquatic, American alligators need a habitat with a mix of dry land and slow-moving fresh water. It has a large, long head with visible upper teeth along the edge of the jaws. [4][5] The Chinese alligator split from the American alligator about 33 million years ago[4] and probably descended from a lineage that crossed the Bering land bridge during the Neogene. This happened in a lagoon in the state of Tampico. American alligators thrive in the American South because its wetlands provide ideal conditions for hunting and breeding. The decay process gives off heat (think of the steam that rises sometimes from an old compost or mulch pile), and thats what keeps the eggs warm. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. These types of attacks had already been seen, remembering when the vacation of a family in Mexico City became a tragedy, then the news was released that a crocodile attacked a 6-year-old boy in Ixtapa Zihuatanejo and that as a result of this , is very serious, according to information published by the Infobae news portal. Alligator feeding habits: New data and a review. The unnamed man, believed to be in his 50s or 60, reportedly ignored a sign warning people not to swim in the area. Listening to Infrasound | Nature", "Social Displays of the American Alligator", "Nocturnal behavior of the American Alligator (, "Unidirectional Airflow in the Lungs of Alligators", "Alligators and Crocodiles Have High Paracellular Absorption of Nutrients, But Differ in Digestive Morphology and Physiology", "Anatomical and Topographical Description of the Digestive System of Caiman crocodilus (Linnaeus 1758), Melanosuchus niger (Spix 1825) and Paleosuchus palpebrosus (Cuvier 1807)", "Right-to-left shunt has modest effects on CO 2 delivery to the gut during digestion, but compromises oxygen delivery", "Effects of feeding on arterial blood gases in the American alligator Alligator mississippiensis", "Feeding alters blood flow patterns in the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)", "Modest Regulation of Digestive Performance Is Maintained through Early Ontogeny for the American Alligator, Alligator mississippiensis", "The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown: Microbial Symbioses of the American Alligator", "Detection and analysis of autophagy in the American alligator ( Alligator mississippiensis )", "Metagenomics Reveals Seasonal Functional Adaptation of the Gut Microbiome to Host Feeding and Fasting in the Chinese Alligator", "Antacid armour key to tetrapod survival", "Alligator osteoderms as a source of labile calcium for eggshell formation", "FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: What's the difference between a crocodile and an alligator? The . age. Update 08/23/2022, 2:05 p.m. Alligators are lurkers that hunt predominantly at night and use eyes, ears, and skin sensors to detect an animal entering the water. Technically gators are crocodilians, just a different species from crocodiles like this one. Alligators are opportunistic feeders that prey on fish, turtles, snakes, frogs, and waterfowl. They can be found mostly in the southern parts of the USA, mostly in the state of Florida, Louisiana and Alabama. Above, a crocodile is seen with its mouth open at the Rift Valley Province in Kenya on August 12. At Laguna del Carpintero alone three people have been killed in the last three years and in June, 2021, a video went viral of a woman washing her clothes in the lake, only for a crocodile to grab her by the leg and drag her towards the water. 5.0 magnitude earthquake hits the Mexican Pacific Coast, Exhibition of 40 meteorites in Gomez Palacio, Durango. You are too close. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. Adult male alligators occasionally reach 13 to 15 feet in length. [2] Later English spellings of the name included allagarta and alagarto. Adel ET: This article was updated with information on the number of deaths caused by crocodiles worldwide. Chinese . In the 1950s, the American alligator came close to extinction due to habitat loss and unregulated hunting. In the state of Tamaulipas there are alligators along the US border. As a result, an adult human can hold an alligator's jaws shut bare-handed. And of course, thats true; alligators are the top predators in the wetlands of the southeastern U.S. American alligators arent picky about prey: theyll take large mammals such as deer and wild pigs, as well as turtles, frogs, fish, wading birds, or anything else they can get into their mouths. Alligator is also low in fat. The man, believed to be an American tourist, was relieving himself in the Nichupte Lagoon in Cancun, a tourist hotspot in the south-eastern Mexican state of Quintana Roo. However, although the little boy, identified as Jos, was on a part of the bridge that was placed as protection, he received a severe bite from the animal. [44] Most other amniotes are believed to exhibit bidirectional, or tidal breathing. Discrecin! After having passed this terrible moment, a young woman can be heard saying to another young woman: tell the police that the crocodile already grabbed it, that it submerged it.. Juvenile and adult American alligators are apex predators and consume fish, amphibians, reptiles (especially turtles), waterfowl, and mammals; hatchlings feed mostly on invertebrates such as crayfish, insects, insect larvae, snails, spiders, and worms. Today, the American alligator has a conservation status of Least Concern. Maximum length for females is approximately 10 feet. They may kill larger prey by grabbing it and dragging it into the water to drown. Alligators first appeared during the Oligocene epoch about 37 million years ago. May 31, 2022. [54], Like other crocodilians, alligators have an armor of bony scutes. As a result, many can have about 3,000 teeth over the course of their . Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). June 22, 2021 120385 The tragic event occurred on Monday, June 21, in the Laguna del Carpintero. American alligators reach full size around age 10 and will live for another 40 years after that. [50][48] The alligator's metabolism will also increase after a meal by up to four times its basal metabolic rate. An alligator with an immobilized tail cannot perform a death roll. At the scene of the events, agents from the Tampico Transit Secretariat, agents of the State Police, as well as personnel from the Investigative Police of the Tamaulipas Attorney Generals Office, came to order the removal and transfer of the body. The temperature in the nest determines sex of the offspring. It is also present in the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas. But a 2013 study revealed that American alligators include a wide variety of fruits and seeds in their diet. A man was eaten by a 9-foot-long (3-meter) crocodile. [57][58] The Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans has leucistic alligators found in a Louisiana swamp in 1987. [23], American alligators live in freshwater environments, such as ponds, marshes, wetlands, rivers, lakes, and swamps, as well as in brackish water. Smaller alligators can often be found in large numbers close to each other. The crocodile makes a single splash of its tail before vanishing beneath the surface with its victim. Alligators have broad snouts, while crocodiles have thinner snouts. Dinosaurs and crocodiles belong to the same branch of reptiles, and birds are the direct descendants of dinosaurs. He asked the population to avoid taking photographs or videos of the crocodiles so as not to expose themselves to being attacked. This iconic American species is the state reptile of Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi. Critical to the alligator's ability to initiate a death roll, the tail must flex to a significant angle relative to its body. Residents later located the crocodile, which had a bloated stomach. Discover The Smallest Australian Crocodile, Nile Crocodile Information, Facts Pictures & Videos. If fed, the alligators will eventually lose their fear of humans and will learn to associate humans with food.[34]. [13] One of the oldest recorded alligator lives was that of Saturn, an American alligator who was hatched in 1936 in Mississippi and spent nearly a decade in Germany before spending the majority of its life at the Moscow Zoo, where it died at the age of 83 or 84 on 22 May 2020. They may try to find an unoccupied territory nearby or may compete with a neighboring alligator for hunting and breeding grounds. An average adult American alligator's weight and length is 360kg (790lb) and 4m (13ft), but they sometimes grow to 4.4m (14ft) long and weigh over 450kg (990lb). Photo by Eric Lafforgue/Art in All of Us/Corbis via Getty Images, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Alligator eggs must be kept warm throughout incubation. The American Alligator is found in the southeastern United States and Tamaulipas, Mexico. Comparative limb proportions reveal differential locomotor morphofunctions of alligatoroids and crocodyloids. [11] The Chinese alligator is smaller, rarely exceeding 2.1m (7ft) in length. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. According to a report from The opinion, a man died in a lake . An estimated 5 million wild American alligators live across 10 states, but fatal gator attacks are rare. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a3128085ab7ccf515dde2b4ca8e85214" );document.getElementById("baf99b406d").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); News and facts about animals, natural history and science. Oxygen exchange takes place in extensive vasculature around the parabronchi. [38] Another form of male display is a loud head-slap. Alligators resemble lizards, but grow much larger and have proportionally thicker bodies and tails. On breaking the video into keyframes and running . On land, alligators can reach top speeds of 30 miles per hour. Frugivory and seed dispersal by crocodilians: An overlooked form of saurochory? The gastroliths work to grind up the meal as alligators will take large bites or swallow smaller prey whole. The alligator took hold of a person near the edge of a retention pond on Friday, according to a . (73.2 kg); Females: 121 lb. Alligators are apex predators, one that has popularized popular culture and frequently appears on the news, typically attached to a crazy story coming out of Florida. In 1996, landowner Philip Hogan enrolled 5,814 acres of his Push Creek Farm into . Alligators, like other crocodilians, are large animals with powerful tails that are used both in defense and in swimming. Basically all Alligators are crocodiles, but crocodiles are not Alligators. Currently, I know that alligators are <10 miles south of the VA/NC line. alligators in tamaulipasmass effect andromeda truth and trespass bug 03/06/2022 . 1998. In NC, males can reach 13 feet and weigh up to 500 pounds or more. CIUDAD DE MXICO (AP) Un par de enfrentamientos entre grupos armados dejaron el viernes un nmero indeterminado de muertos y heridos en la ciudad mexicana de Matamoros . The bellows of male American alligators are accompanied by powerful blasts of infrasound. Reptile Books: A Selection Of Awesome Books on Snakes, Crocodilians, Turtles & Lizards. A man who was apparently homeless in the city of Tampico, lost his life on Saturday, October 17th, when he was attacked by a crocodile in the Laguna del Carpintero in the capital of Tamaulipas. In the water, they can swim as fast as 25 MPH. A huge crocodile swimming in a lagoon with a dead man's body in its jaws was spotted by passers-by. Like most reptiles, the American alligator hatches from an egg. (1993). With reports from Publimetro, Hoy Tamaulipas and Milenio, Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC. To report alligator sightings, please call the Fort Worth City's Marshal Office at Lake Worth at 817-238-9090. The lake is located in a park complex that is undergoing renovation. Because there are injuries involved, the ministerial authorities opened an investigation of the events to determine responsibilities. 1998. Alligators in Florida are wild reptiles that are apex predators! [33], Alligators are generally timid towards humans and tend to walk or swim away if one approaches. [45], The alligator has a similar digestive system to that of the crocodile, with minor differences in morphology and enzyme activity. [32], Most of the muscle in an alligator's jaw evolved to bite and grip prey. According to reports and recent studies, there have been 22 Alligators attacks in Florida from 1999 to 2021. Alligators can survive Tennessee winters by going into a hibernation-like dormancy called brumation. Alligators are about 8 to 9 inches in length when they hatch from eggs. Alligators . [42][43] In the past, immediately following the outlawing of alligator hunting, populations rebounded quickly due to the suppressed number of adults preying upon juveniles, increasing survival among the young alligators. As they grow larger, they begin to feed on fish, small turtles, frogs, snakes and small birds. There are around 3 to 4 American alligator attacks on humans each year in Florida, with fatalities occurring once every three or so years. Alligators are usually found in freshwater, slow-moving rivers. A clip filmed by an onlooker shows the crocodile approaching the man as he tries to swim towards the shore. Join the thousands of Active Wild subscribers who receive free wildlife and science news & info direct to their inboxes! A crocodylomorph from the Jurassic Period wouldnt have looked too dissimilar to an American alligator. Encyclopedias, ID Guides & More, American Reptiles List: Pictures & Facts on Reptiles Found in the USA, Reptiles: The Ultimate Guide Pictures & Facts, What Makes a Reptile a Reptile, Types of Reptile A Complete Guide To Reptilia With FREE Question Sheet, List Of Crocodiles In Africa: Pictures, Facts & Information, Freshwater Crocodile Facts, Pictures & Information. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. The bellow is a loud, low-pitched rumble that carries a long distance through water. View our online Press Pack. [6] The full genome, published in 2014, suggests that the alligator evolved much more slowly than mammals and birds. The center shares a border with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Several people recorded video of. CIUDAD MADERO, TAMAULIPAS.- In a terrifying video, similar to something out of a horror movie, a crocodile swims around holding the corpse of a man in its muzzle in Laguna del Carpintero in Tampico, Tamaulipas. Mazatln Carnival: How much was spent and recovered? The two alligators are in the family Alligatoridae. It comes after a crocodile bit the arm off a tourist as he took a wee in another Mexican lagoon. 115133. In the video, three people can be seen calmly filming with their cellphones from the side of the lake. [53] There is also fluctuation in the level of bacterial taxa populations in the alligator's microbial community between seasons which helps the alligator cope with different rates of feeding and activity. To report an alligator that poses a threat to human safety, please call the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's district office weekdays at 817-831-3128 or after hours and weekends at 1-800-792-4263. The alligators on the Red Slough reside among the many ponds, oxbow lakes and wetlands on the wildlife management area. Alligators Are Faster Than You Think. They were listed as endangered in 1973 and their population quickly recovered. The high walk is an up-on-four-limbs forward motion used for overland travel with the belly well up from the ground. This is due to the increase in CO2 concentration of the blood, resulting from the right to left shunting of the alligators heart. Spring is coming and with it 17 tourist cruises will arrive, Watch out! . It is common to use several wraps of duct tape to prevent an adult alligator from opening its jaws when being handled or transported. Juvenile crocodiles are bright yellow with some dark bands. There are nearby schools, preschool, elementary, secondary, we have to be on the lookout . Tankmate viremia onset . Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press. The unnamed man, believed to be in his 50s or 60, reportedly ignored a sign warning people not to swim in the area. Incubation temperatures of 30C (86F) or lower produce a clutch of females; those of 34C (93F) or higher produce entirely males. For 10 years the crocodile has responded to Coco, both an abbreviation for the Spanish word for crocodile, as well as the Spanish word for coconut. They could survive only in captivity and are few in number. Choice cuts of meat, primarily the tail and jaw, can be readily used in any recipe. Royal Society Open Science, 5(3), 171774. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.171774, Platt, S. G., Elsey, R. M., Liu, H., Rainwater, T. R., Nifong, J. C., Rosenblatt, A. E., Heithaus, M. R., & Mazzotti, F. J. With these rains, we have to be more alert in our schools, he explained in an interview at the time. The two extant species are the American alligator (A. mississippiensis) and the Chinese alligator (A. sinensis). Alligators can reach speeds of up to 35 mph on land (though they are known to tire quickly). After intense work that lasted more than an hour, the firefighters finally managed to immobilize the animal with the use of a hook, The croc had already moved towards the lagoon with the womans body. While there are rules of thumb for distinguishing alligators from crocodiles, all of them admit exceptions. Find out more about reptiles with this selection of Books on Reptiles. Alligators today are a common sight throughout their native range, but that wasnt always the case. The video has already gone viral since it has more than 4 thousand reproductions on Twitter, which is where the video can be seen since it was published by the Tamaulipas state account. Large alligators feed extensively on coypu, and provide a vital ecological service by reducing coypu numbers.[27]. The American alligator belongs to Crocodilia, an order of reptiles whose members are known as crocodilians. As they mature, progressively larger prey is taken, including larger fish such as gar, turtles, and various mammals, particularly coypu and muskrat,[24] as well as birds, deer, and other reptiles. All of a sudden, the three-metre long reptile attacks the man and brings him underwater. [58], Alligators are raised commercially for their meat and their skin, which when tanned is used for the manufacture of luggage, handbags, shoes, belts, and other leather items. Aside from predators and floods, the mother American alligator also has to worry about temperature. They have long, scaly bodies and relatively short legs, with lengthy, powerful tails. [48] The re-circulation of blood leads to higher CO2 concentration as well as lower oxygen affinity. As the alveoli represent dead-ends to flow, the inspired air must move back out the same way it came in. Wolfe, J. L., D. K. Bradshaw, and R. H. Chabreck. 2010. The muscles that close the jaws are powerful, but the muscles for opening their jaws are weak. Loredo offers it chicken, leftovers or whatever else can be found in the fridge. Oscar Cainer tells all. Fire commander Juan Garcia Hernndez said that the crocodile was 11 feet long, according to Riviera Maya News. Gabrey, S. W. 2005. The alligator was chasing scallopers in the Cotee River, which dumps out into the Gulf, the sheriff's office said. One of the alligators measured 8 feet 10 inches while . jason collier kristi shaffer; slayers unleashed breathing codes [46] Alligators have a two-part stomach, with the first smaller portion containing gastroliths. The Chinese alligator can be found along the Yangtze River in eastern China. Manuel Abraham was playing with a balloon with his father in a Mexican river. The acidity of the stomach has been observed to increase once digestion begins. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. There are also two species of crocodiles in Mexico, the American and Morelet's Crocodiles Sponsored by PureCare Knee Protector An alligator, or just gator, is a large reptile in the Crocodilia order in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. This event, which occurred at approximately 7:00 p.m., mobilized the staff of the public security and rescue bodies who immediately came to the place, since the crocodile was swimming under the bridge, where it connects the canal and the lagoon, with the victim in the jaws as could be seen with the naked eye. The American alligator is a large, semi-aquatic, armored reptile that is related to crocodiles. Even worse, many such slurs aren't from men but 'I couldn't do it without you': Victoria Beckham poses with her whole family after her PFW show - as she Brooklyn Beckham puts on a loved-up display with wife Nicola Peltz as they head back to hotel after Cruz Beckham supports his mother Victoria as he carrying his very own VB handbag on the way to her show Like father, like daughter! They also live in swamps, marshes and lakes. The American alligator is one of only two living alligator species: the other being the Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis), which is found in the Yangtze River. (55.1 kg) Lifespan: 50 years Conservation Status: Least Concern It is worth mentioning that in the Laguna del Carpintero in Tampico, it is forbidden to swim or perform any type of water activities, due to the presence of crocodiles. No mames! ', Members of the Tampico fire department inspect a drainage system where they located the crocodile and a man who was attacked and killed by the reptile after swimming in a lagoon. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Several witnesses observed from a distance how one of these crocodiles had the man between his teeth, and introduced him to the bottom of the lagoon to be able to devour him. The man is face down, semi-nude and unconscious and the crocodile is swimming close to the edge of the lake, as if to present his catch to the, However, despite crocodile attacks and sightings being recorded in almost all lakes in southern Tamaulipas this year, an inspector with, the federal environmental protection agency. [51] Alligators also have highly folded mucosa in the lining of the intestines to further aid in the absorption of nutrients. The lagoon is renowned for its crocodile attacks, with a number of people falling victim to the predators. (55.1 kg). A native of Jalisco, Moscote finished fourth in the Seville Marathon on Sunday with a time of 2 hours, 24 minutes and 53 seconds. Alligators' main prey are smaller animals they can kill and eat with a single bite. The American alligator averages 6-16 feet (1.8 to 4.9 m) in length, but can get much bigger: the largest known American alligator was 19 feet 2 inches (5.84 m) long. An alligator lurks in a marshy waterway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Tampico, Tamaulipas.- A huge crocodile attacked and killed a woman when she was on the shore of the Laguna del Carpintero, allegedly washing clothes, right next to Benito Jurezs hemicycle. They immediately proceeded to rescue the womans body, which they wrapped with a white sheet and extracted from the water, with wounds in various parts caused by the crocodile teeth. Along with the bald eagle and humpback whale, the American alligator is living proof that conservation efforts can work. However alligators are still vulnerable to microbial infections despite the immune boost from other microbiota. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Birds keep their eggs warm by sitting on them, but that strategy wont work for cold-blooded animals like alligators. An 85-year-old woman died Feb. 20 after an alligator grabbed her dog in a St. Lucie County community along Florida's East Coast. Both alligators belong to the same genus (Alligator). He was later treated at a hospital for his injuries, which included teeth punctures to his throat, chin, forehead, and hands, according to a GoFundMe page that was launched by his friends. Swimming and any other aquatic activities are banned in the lagoon due to the presence of crocodiles. Its population is so robust that limited hunting and egg-collecting is allowed. [35][36] Their stomachs also often contain gizzard stones. How remorseless Stephen Bear continued his arrogant antics up until Do not sell or share my personal information. For a long time, scientists thought alligators were exclusively meat-eaters. foto shutterstock. Plastic surgeon reveals five cosmetic procedures she would NEVER get - from dangerous Brazilian butt lifts BEL MOONEY:Why does caring for my dad take over my life? The attack was recorded on video by people who were near the place and who witnessed the exact moment in which the three-and-a-half meter reptile attacked the person, who according to what is observed tried to escape by swimming, but the speed of the animal caught up with him. Alligators move on land by two forms of locomotion referred to as "sprawl" and "high walk". According to ranger Maggie O'Connell, a survey reveals that the population remained stable over the past years and is evenly distributed throughout the swamp. Mother alligators lay clutches of about 30-50 eggs and watch over them for the two months it takes for them to hatch. [47] Once an alligator's meal has been processed it will move on to the second portion of the stomach which is highly acidic. Hotter temperatures result in male hatchlings; colder temperatures result in females. The body of a man who had been retrieving Frisbees from a Florida public park's lake that serves as habitat for alligators was found with its arm torn off on Tuesday, the . Alligators first appeared during the Oligocene epoch about 37million years ago. The dermal bones are highly vascularised and aid in calcium balance, both to neutralize acids while the animal cannot breathe underwater[55] and to provide calcium for eggshell formation.[56]. Loredo, for one, cant imagine a life without Coco: Hes part of my family, she said. The Fire Commander, Juan Garca Hernndez, reported that it was a single animal that perpetrated the attack. The natural sex ratio at hatching is five females to one male. Craighead, F. C., Sr. (1968). the boardwalk will close for triathlon, take your precautions, These are the challenges that Mazatln has in the face with the real estate boom, Despite stalled legalization, Marijuana producers in Sinaloa are still making plans for a legal global market, Crocodile kills a man who was swimming in Tamaulipas lagoon (VIDEO), American citizen sentenced to 21 years in prison for drug trafficking in North Carolina, Lopez Obrador wants narco-linked witness to testify against Calderon and Fox, The National Civic Front in Mazatln call for a protest against Plan B of the Electoral Reform in Mazatlan, More than 3 tons of garbage removed from the beaches during Carnival, The expansion of Santa Rosa Avenue is coming. [28] Alligators have also been observed to rise up and balance on their hind legs and semi-step forward as part of a forward or upward lunge. Alligator meat has a very mild taste and is a versatile substitute in recipes calling for veal, chicken, and most seafood. A man is eaten alive by a crocodile in Tamaulipas (VIDEO) By MundoNOW. In the video, three people can be seen calmly filming with their cellphones from the side of the lake. Government of Mazatln analyzes promoting the game of Ulama in the city, Welcome back to San Miguel de Allende Biblioteca, Puerto Vallarta protest roads closed to Mismaloya, How an Expats Opinion Of What It Would Be Like To Live In Mexico Changed After Moving to Mexico, Flying with pets in Mexico horror stories. All will be checked now! Why did you move (or are thinking to move) to Mexico. In some cases, larger alligators are known to ambush dogs, Florida panthers and black bears, making them the apex predator throughout their distribution. Follow the link below to find out more and to sign up! or 454 kilograms), according to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park. Tampico Airport to Tampico Hotels Round-Trip Private Transfer from $48.61 per adult Tampico Airport (TAM) to Tampico hotels or beach- Arrival Private Transfer from $24.31 per adult Tampico hotels to Tampico Airport (TAM) - Departure Private transfer from $24.31 per adult The area Best nearby Restaurants 171 within 3 miles Enchilada Huasteca 44 Sometimes they are seen in residential areas. But crocodiles are more like their cousins the birds in the way they look after their eggs and young. More than 330 native and migratory bird species, 25 mammal, 117 fish and 65 amphibian and reptile species call Kennedy and the wildlife refuge home. South Florida is the only place you can find both animals in the wild. The water, thick with algae, turns to swirling white bubbles as the two shapes thrash about before the swimmer desperately heads back toward land. They will wait for prey in water with the eyes and nostrils above the water surface and then grab it with incredible speed. In La Agua lake in Altamira an eight-year-old girl was attacked by a crocodile earlier this month, before her father, who was fishing nearby, managed to fight it off. The American alligator is classified by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as similarity of appearance to a threatened taxon. Found in ponds, wetlands, marshes, swamps, lakes, and rivers, gators increase plant diversity and provide habitat for other animals during droughts. Alligators also provide economic benefits through the ecotourism industry. This is the shocking moment a huge crocodile drags a lifeless man's body in its jaws after he had ignored warnings not to go swimming due to the presence of reptiles in a notorious lagoon in northeasternMexicostate of Tamaulipas.