When talking about crocodiles, we may think of some ferocious and brutal images, such as saltwater crocodiles, but alligators may not match these images. Even if alligators are released into the wild, we still have to worry about whether they can survive in the wild. .
Some time ago, 370 alligators were released into the wild again in Anhui Province. After hearing this news, some people may be worried whether the alligators will hurt people? But only people in Anhui know that alligators only have the chance to be scared.
In response to this, many netizens said: Why are humans not afraid of alligators? Do alligators really not hurt people? Many netizens are also wondering: Can such a timid alligator survive safely in the wild?
How long does the alligator survive for 150 million years?
Let’s first learn about the alligator. The alligator, also called the alligator, is a crocodile unique to China. With a body length of only 1 to 2 meters and a weight of about 36 kilograms, it is one of the smallest crocodile species in the world.
The evolutionary history of the alligator is about 150 million years. It is a creature of the same era as the dinosaurs, so it is also the oldest existing reptile . Today, the characteristics of earlier reptiles can still be found in the alligator, so the alligator is also called "Living Fossil".
The alligator is mainly distributed in the humid areas of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in my country. It is very good at digging holes, and caves are its habitat. The alligator likes to be quiet. It will live in seclusion in caves during the day and come out to hunt at night. Fish, shrimps and snails in the water are all its food. It eats a lot and can store a lot of nutrients in its body to survive a long hibernation, so the alligator can eat only once for a long time.
Once "dominated" the earth with the dinosaurs, how timid are alligators?
As a unique species in my country, the alligator has a bad temper during the mate period and when protecting its cubs, but these attacks will not cause substantial harm to people. The alligator can be said to be the most docile crocodile among alligators in the world.
So far, the alligator has no record of injuring anyone. Perhaps the only recorded incident was an accident in which a person was frightened and fell off a bridge, resulting in a broken bone.
No one was frightened very much, but I was frightened quite a few times. In Xuancheng , there was once an alligator that was so scared by a child that it ran straight into the water and did not dare to come out. In the end, the parents did not let the child misunderstand. They could only say that these were crocodile babies. When the crocodiles grow up, they will not be afraid of people.
Alligators and humans live in the same area?
Not only that, alligators often appear by the river where residents wash clothes, observing the old lady washing clothes, and finally being beaten on the head with a hammer. In Anhui, there are still some places where humans and alligators live together in the same area.
Villagers often see alligators when they go to the river to wash dishes and clothes. The villagers also explained that the alligator has never hurt anyone, and the villagers will not disturb it and occasionally feed it. This lifestyle has become very common. got used to.
The alligator is a relatively timid animal. As long as we don't provoke it, it generally won't attack people. Moreover, the alligator's sleep schedule is different from ours. It only comes out to look for food at night. Therefore, the chance of an alligator injuring someone is very small.
Why did the alligator, which has strong fecundity, become an endangered animal?
More than a hundred years ago, alligators were widely distributed in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. However, due to rapid population growth, the wetlands inhabited by alligators were developed into agricultural land, and the living space of alligators continued to shrink. According to statistics, starting in the 1970s , the number of alligators has been reduced to less than 300.
Not only that, the pesticides used in agricultural production have also destroyed the ecological balance of the wetland, and the living environment of the alligator has been seriously affected. Furthermore, in the early years, there was illegal poaching of alligators. However, alligators are gentle in nature, and poachers often do not have a difficult time poaching them. This is also one of the important reasons for the decline in the number of alligators.
It is urgent to protect the alligator
Finally, although the alligator has no natural enemies, the alligator baby has many natural enemies. egret, night heron, heron, etc. will capture them, so the survival probability of the alligator baby is very low, resulting in The population of alligators is growing slowly.
But it is worth mentioning that humans have realized the consequences of their own and established nature reserves to protect the remaining alligators. The cumulative number of alligators released in Anhui has also reached the IOU level. I believe we will be able to release alligators in Anhui soon. Alligators were seen in the wild.
So what do you think of the alligator? Do you like alligators? Welcome to leave a message and discuss in the comment area!
