Welcome to You Ask Andy

Mike Kallner, age 10, of Frankfort, Ind., for his question:

Where are alligators to be found?

The rare Chinese alligator lives in China. All the other alligators are natives of the new world. The toothy fellows like water and warm weather. In the United States they enjoy life in the rivers, creeks, lakes and swamps of sunny Florida. They range as far west as the Rio Grande and as far north as North Carolina. In South and Central America they are called caimans and jacares.

Mr. Bigmouth comes from an old and noble family. He and his few cousins are the only living relatives of the dinosaurs that once ruled the world. Together they belong to the order Crocodilia. The crocodile is widespread throughout the tropics and the long, slender gavial represents the family in India.

judging from Andy's mail, the alligator is ,a fascinating fellow. True, he has a wide and toothy smile. But the old comedian has a rather twisted sense of humor. His idea of a big joke is to grab an arm or a leg in those toothy jaws. What's more, if he feels threatened he is likely to whack you with his powerful tail. So legs stay clear and be content to admire him from a distance.

Many of Andy's readers want to know how the alligator differs from his cousin the crocodile. If you were one of those who asked this question, please try again.

As to character, there is little to choose between any of the crocodilians. They all spend the day hoping for something alive to pass by so they can grab it. Food is swallowed whole, for those sharp teeth are not designed for chewing. Perhaps the crocodile of the Nile is a little meaner, but only because he may grow larger and more powerful.

At one time plenty of American alligators grew to be 16 or 18 feet long. But these big old fellows have been hunted out of existence, In the last century some two and one half million alligators were taken from Florida alone. A few measuring six feet or more may still be found. But most measure no more than a yard.

The differences between the alligator and the crocodile are in the head, the snout and the teeth. Mr. Gator has a broader head and a blunter snout, when he closes his big mouth, his teeth are hidden. Mr. Croco’s lower teeth show, even when his big mouth is shut tight. This gives him a grinning expression at all times.

Both the alligator and the crocodile have a few extra long lower teeth. When he closes his mouth the alligator's extra long lower teeth fit into pits in the upper jaw. The crocodiles extra long lower teeth fit into grooves along the outside of the upper jaw. Hence, they cannot be hidden, and Mr. Croco smiles his toothy smile, even with his mouth shut.

The crocodile often enjoys life in brackish water not far from the sea. Our alligator prefers fresh water and is often found far inland, lolling in calm lakes, quiet streams and swamps.

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