By Glynn Wilson –
DAUPHIN ISLAND, Ala. — Thousands of bird watchers are flocking to the Alabama Gulf Coast this spring for the annual bird migration, but it’s also mating season for other species, including this fairly large American alligator [Alligator mississippiensis] that has become a tourist attraction in its own right as people come from miles around to see it up close in the small Galliard Lake near Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.
While I ran across several families looking to see it on the Lake Trail, there was no visible sign of it – until I let my dog Jefferson go swimming in the lake. As soon as he got out, I saw a V shaped ripple in the water coming from across the way. Sure enough, the gator came to check out the dog to see if he might make a nice meal.
We watched for awhile and I snapped these pics.
On land alligators are awkward, but in the water they can swim very quickly using their tails. This makes it easier for them to catch prey, including birds and mammals lurking too close along the bank. American alligators can swim up to 20 mph (32.18 km/h) and run on land as fast as 11 mph (17.7 km/h), according to the San Diego Zoo.
Alligators are large reptiles, members of the order Crocodylia. The American alligator can grow up to 11.2 feet (3.4 meters) long and weigh nearly half a ton (1,000 lbs. or 454 kilograms), according to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park. It lives in the southern United States, ranging from North Carolina to Texas, preferring slow-moving rivers, ponds, lakes and swamps.
Before you continue, I’d like to ask if you could support our independent journalism as we head into one of the most critical news periods of our time in 2024.
The New American Journal is deeply dedicated to uncovering the escalating threats to our democracy and holding those in power accountable. With a turbulent presidential race and the possibility of an even more extreme Trump presidency on the horizon, the need for independent, credible journalism that emphasizes the importance of the upcoming election for our nation and planet has never been greater.
However, a small group of billionaire owners control a significant portion of the information that reaches the public. We are different. We don’t have a billionaire owner or shareholders. Our journalism is created to serve the public interest, not to generate profit. Unlike much of the U.S. media, which often falls into the trap of false equivalence in the name of neutrality, we strive to highlight the lies of powerful individuals and institutions, showing how misinformation and demagoguery can harm democracy.
Our journalists provide context, investigate, and bring to light the critical stories of our time, from election integrity threats to the worsening climate crisis and complex international conflicts. As a news organization with a strong voice, we offer a unique, outsider perspective that is often missing in American media.
Thanks to our unique reader-supported model, you can access the New American journal without encountering a paywall. This is possible because of readers like you. Your support keeps us independent, free from external influences, and accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for news.
Please help if you can.
American journalists need your help more than ever as forces amass against the free press and democracy itself. We must not let the crypto-fascists and the AI bots take over.
See the latest GoFundMe campaign here or click on this image.
Don't forget to listen to the new song and video.
Just because we are not featured on cable TV news talk shows, or TikTok videos, does not mean we are not getting out there in search engines and social media sites. We consistently get over a million hits a month.
Click to Advertise Here