A lot of people know what alligators and crocodiles are, however they don’t have any idea of the difference between them. You may find this interesting. In America, crocodiles are only common in one region, which is southern Florida. Alligators also make this region their home, however they can be found in many other states, for the most part in the southeast. South Florida is indeed the only region known on earth where gators and crocs cohabitate the same area.
Crocodile vs. Alligator: How to Distinguish Crocs from Gators
The simplest way to distinguish an alligator from a crocodile is through the color. Crocs will usually have a lighter, olive brown color while gators are likely to have darker, virtually black skin. Wallets made of crocodile skin will reflect the difference in color by their lighter, roughly green shade. Gators prefer to be in a freshwater while crocodiles will rather be in salty water and most of the time they live near the sea or ocean. While they are the same in so many ways, crocodiles and alligators are really from diverse families. Alligators belong to a family Alligatoridae, while crocodiles belong to a Crocodylidae. Both are hazardous, primitive and once in proximity, demanding of instant respect! They both have huge and as powerful jaws which can carry out considerable damage.
Crocs and gators are primitive beasts. They have been around for some 200 million years and have remained relatively unchanged in that time. It is amazing to know that in a short period time, crocs and gators were hunted into almost extinction. Between years 1900 to 1967, these animals were almost wiped off. Endangered species laws prevented this from occurring. On the other hand, still it is an issue in some parts of the world. Fortunately, the American alligator has been removed from the list of endangered species, this is due to conservation efforts. Crocodiles on the other hand, are still in danger at this point.
Aside from the information above, also there are other means to know the difference between gators and crocs like the way the teeth are arranged. Although his mouth is totally closed you can see both rows of a crocodile’s teeth and they connect with each other entirely. Also you can see the upper teeth when a gator closes his mouth because the lower sets disappear into sockets in the mouth.
The sale and manufacture of accessories made from the skin of alligator like bags, shoes, and belts has been booming recently. This is simply because of a huge farm in Southeast Asia that raises these animals for the aim of making alligator wallets, belts, shoes, purse, luggage and many more. The hides of crocodiles and alligators are extremely durable, long lasting and beautiful. They make extremely nice and long lasting items though they are very expensive.
If you’re interested in hunting wild alligators, contact us for more information.